


Hangman's Forest

by Starfire072302



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, BAMF Lucy Heartfilia, F/M, Fairy Queen!Erza, Forests, Ghosts, Horror, Ice Elf!Gray, Kuchisake-onna, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Nalu - Freeform, Natsu Dragneel/Lucy Heartfilia - Freeform, Nymphs & Dryads, Shadow Elf!Wendy, Shadow Realm, Spooky, The Enchanted Forest, Warlock!Natsu, Water, Water Nymph!Juvia, Wendigo, bodies, bodies everywhere, fairy tail - Freeform, haunted forest, lots of folklore, lots of ghosts, scary forest
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-29
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-02-08 07:01:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 30
Words: 42,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12859287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starfire072302/pseuds/Starfire072302
Summary: Lucy Heatfilia, lonely after her mother's death, sneaks away one cold night to venture into the notorious Hangman's Forest, a popular spot for execution. As she ventures deeper, she encounters strange things. A woman's face in a creek, a man made of shadows. Nothing is as it seems. When a hanged man speaks to her, she is thrown into something bigger that she ever imagined. (Nalu)





	1. Into the Forest

Ever since she was a little girl, Lucy was always told not to go into Hangman's Forest. It was where the spirits of the dead roamed, where those who had hung were left to rot, broken and battered, swaying in a sinister dance. It was an executioner's dream. It was a graveyard of criminals, those who dared opposed higher power, thieves, and unlucky fools who were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. The trees were unkempt and scraggly, and shadows were gathered in puddles in every nook and cranny. Those who entered very rarely returned, and the one man who had claimed that there was nothing but despair. Fallen bodies in broken heaps lined the forest floor, and those that still hung swaying eerily in the breeze.

But Lucy was never one who listened. Ever since her mother died, the mansion which she and her father resided in became lifeless and grey. The Heartfilia estate used to be so full of life. Sunshine streamed through every windowpane, and Lucy played with her dolls with her mother, her father observing with a smile on his face. But with her mother gone, and Lucy bearing such a striking resemblance to the deceased woman, her previously kind father had become closed off and cold. She needed an escape. And that night, an escape she got. Under the cover of night, when the stars shone overhead and the moon grinned full and bright down at her, she snuck out the back into the rose gardens, careful not to catch her skirt on the thorns. She had put on something simple and warm, pulling the thick wool cloak close around her shoulders. She clipped it over her ample bust. The clasp holding it together was about the size of a large coin and was shaped like a rose. The cloak had belonged to her mother, and was a deep red. Her breath plumed in front of her face in the thin October air, and she looked down the garden's path.

With little hesitation, she started down the path, her gait quick. She couldn't afford to get caught. There was hardly ever any fun in her life, anyway. Her mother was all she had needed, she was her best friend. When she had died two years ago, Lucy's world was torn to shreds. Her father worked harder than ever, and Lucy locked herself away in her room, without her father's love to sooth her sorrow. She had nightmares, waking up screaming. Spetto would rush into her room to comfort her, the older woman cooing and stroking her hair until she fell asleep again, restlessly, slowly, and waking up more exhausted than when she went to sleep.

The enormous gate swung open in slow motion with a solid shove, and Lucy slid through, holding her breast back so she didn't get stuck in the narrow opening. Freedom. With one look back at the house, she began her walk to the village, Magnolia. She walked for around twenty minutes, listening to the night sounds and the hoot of an owl which seemed to follow her, eerily always behind her. It was probably several owls, Lucy told herself. She tugged at the cloak, fingering the clasp. She soon reached the gates of the village, and peered around. The houses were dark, the occasional light filling a lone window, spilling buttery hues across the cobblestone streets. Lucy walked with her head down; if anyone saw her, she would be immediately taken back to the mansion, her chances of freedom spoiled. To be safe, she pulled the hood of her cloak up, throwing her face into shadow.

The forest was on the other side of town. She could make it. She had to hurry and most of all, not get caught. Oh, why was she even doing this? Everyone said to keep  _away_  from the forest. Going in meant certain death. But... what did she have to lose? She had no mother, her father didn't care about her, no one would miss her. And she had read articles and books about the forest... something about the twisted trees and dark underbrush intrigued her... and terrified her as well. Head down, she walked faster, the heels of her boots making soft taps on the cobblestones. She passed by the canal in town, tugging at the cloak to fight the cold. Damn, it was so dark, why hadn't she brought a lantern? Just a little further...

"You!" A voice, gruff and whispered cut through the cold air. Lucy froze, closing her eyes. This was it, she was going home. "You there, come here."

She turned, ready to face her captor, when she saw a dirty child, rummaging through a garbage pail. He had in his hand a piece of moldy bread. A man stood on his porch, a small dog emerging from behind a bush. The man's gaze was focused on the child, his stubbly face twisted into a scowl.

"You get away from there! Shoo!" The child started, and scurried off, the bread still tight in his fist. The man hadn't seen her. Lucy sighed in relief, and turned, continuing her march. She took the path out of town, the silence of the night a comfortable companion. She walked father, and farther still. The forest was in reach. All at once she came to a stop.

The forest loomed in front of her. The trees twisted and blackened with age. Dead leaves carpeted the ground, the still living ones dyed brilliant colors and clinging to the breaches of the trees. Said branches crisscrossed over her head, leaves snagged in their web of brambles. Shadows loomed like figures the further she looked, and the moonlight, though the moon was full, did little to cut the gloom. On a weathered post to her left was sign. 'Hangman's Forest" was written in peeling black paint, and a lantern hung on a rusty hook. The flame shook in the bitter chill, and Lucy grasped it's handle, pulling the light close to herself. Steeling her courage, Lucy stepped forward. The forest's shadows swallowed her, and while she had the lantern, it did very little to provide visibility.

Oh, no she shouldn't have come. Her resolve was crumbling, and she was beginning to get second thoughts. Why didn't she stay home? Her determination for adventure was melting away, and she turned, shining the pale light around, but everything looked the same. She tried her hardest to spot where she had broken the underbrush, but could see nothing. She took a shaky breath, and steeled forward.

Not much later, she had reached a creek. Lucy licked her dry lips, thanking whatever god there was and she knelt, setting the lantern behind her. Cupping her cold hands, she dipped them into the even colder water, pooling the liquid into her palms. With careful precision as not to spill, she lifted her hands and began to drink. Not enough. She scooped more, and yet another until she had quenched her thirst. She peered down into the stream, and pulled the lantern closer to her side. The flame's light reflected off the clear surface. She continued to look, and before her eyes, something began to form. The face of a woman? The eyes came into focus, the color as blue as the water, wispy hair, also a deep blue plumed around the expressionless, porcelain pale face. Lucy gasped, jumping back from the stream. When she finally found the courage to look back at the water, the face was gone, leaving nothing but the river stones for her to look at.

After walking down the banks of the creek, though more cautiously than before, she eventually found a tree that had fallen across, creating a makeshift bridge. The water gushed underneath it, but she placed her foot in it, testing if it could hold her weight. When she found that it could, she carefully lifted herself up onto the surface, the wood cracked, but half firm. With careful feet, she made her way across. She peered into the dark, her lantern casting flickering light. When she walked further, it was then that she saw the bodies. The first one was sitting against a tree, it was the body of a man. He had a rope knotted around his neck, the skin around it painted purple against the pale flesh. His dark hair hung around his face, and Lucy dared not look at the face it's self. She gulped, and moved on.

The second body was hung. It hung from a tree, swaying in the breeze. A woman this time. She had long blonde hair, and Lucy instinctively touched her own hair. Her dress was a pale pink thing, hanging around her form shapelessly. Her head was bent at a rakish angle. There was an 'x' painted on her abdomen in black ink, marking her as a witch. That wasn't scared Lucy the most, though. It was her eyes. They were clouded over, staring, wide. Her lips were dry, the skin cracked, and parted as if just gasping for a breath of air. Lucy gave a whimper, and put her head down, scurrying past.

The forest got darker and darker and the air got colder. The deeper she went, the more bodies she spotted. Some lay in heaps on the ground, half buried by leaves. Others hung like the body of the blonde woman she had seen before. As she progressed, she could swear that she heard the snapping of twigs behind her, but when she turned, she saw nothing. Finally, her fear was becoming feral. She turned sharply, her eyes narrowed, just in time to catch the face of a man. His eyes were scarlet, his face lined with studs of metal. From what she could see of his hair, it was jet black, and seemed to melt into the shadow around him. He wasted no time in vanishing after she saw him, a sharp toothed grin breaking across his face as he disappeared into the shadow from which he had emerged. Lucy began to shake, and then she began to run. What the hell was that? What was that woman in the water? Lucy panted heavily as she ran, the lantern swinging wildly in her hand. In a clearing, she collapsed onto her hands and knees, her hair hanging around her face.

But she wasn't alone. She heard a creak, not metallic, but a noise produced by a rope when it's strained under weight. Lucy gulped. Did she really want to see? She gulped, steeling herself, and before she could stop herself, she snapped her head up. There was a tree in the center of the clearing. It was old, it's branches gnarled and twisted, the creases and knots like the face of an old man. The leaves were sprinkled about the roots, some brown and curling and others vibrantly yellow and orange-red. She approached the tree, deciding to investigate, and did almost a full circle until she saw the source of the noise. There, hanging from a noose, was a young man. He couldn't have been much older than her. His skin was a light tan, and his salmon colored hair hanging in tufts around his face. He was wearing a white scarf with an almost scale like pattern, and a large, tattered, dark cloak. The cloak was mostly behind his shoulders, blown back by the wind. The open cloak revealed an and open-collared, one-sleeved long overcoat, tucked into his white trousers and zipped. The single sleeve covered his left arm, kept in place by a brown leather armband, leaving his entire right arm exposed. On his right shoulder was a strange mark. She gave him a once over before beginning to back away. The rope creaked again, and Lucy stumbled back.

Suddenly, the hanged man began to speak.


	2. The Hanging Man

_But she wasn't alone. She heard a creak, not metallic, but a noise produced by a rope when it's strained under weight. Lucy gulped. Did she really want to see? She gulped, steeling herself, and before she could stop herself, she snapped her head up. There was a tree in the center of the clearing. It was old, it's branches gnarled and twisted., the creases and knots like the face of an old man. The leaves were sprinkled about the roots, some brown and curling and others vibrantly yellow and orange-red. She approached the tree, deciding to investigate, and did almost a full circle until she saw the source of the noise. There, hanging from a noose, was a young man. He couldn't have been much older than her. His skin was a light tan, and his salmon colored hair hanging in tufts around his face. He was wearing a white scarf with an almost scale like pattern, and a large, tattered, dark cloak. The cloak was mostly behind his shoulders, blown back by the wind. The open cloak revealed an and open-collared, one-sleeved long overcoat, tucked into his white trousers and zipped. The single sleeve covered his left arm, kept in place by a brown leather armband, leaving his entire right arm exposed. On his right shoulder was a strange mark. She gave him a once over before beginning to back away. The rope creaked again, and Lucy stumbled back._

_Suddenly, the hanged man began to speak._

"Hey, you. Blondie. D'ya mind cuttin' me down?"

Lucy stumbled back in obvious shock, tripping on uneven ground and landing flat on her backside. her lips quivered, unable to form a coherent sentence, eyes wide and staring, and she scuttled further away until her back rested up against an old tree stump. Then, she began to scream.

The hanged man gave her what could be perceived as an annoyed glare. "Now, let's not attract attention. This rope is giving me a crick. Now, I asked politely, which is sorta rare for me. Will ya cut me down?"

Lucy's scream made a decrescendo into a whimper. She examined his face. With quivering lips, she managed to choke out, "Wha-t are you?"

He chewed on his lower lip with what Lucy was surprised to view as a literal fang, then looked at her. "I'm a warlock. A fire warlock, at that. I've been hangin' here for six weeks, and it gets pretty boring if ya ask me."

Lucy gulped, her mouth dry. "How... How are you alive?"

The man gave her a deadpan look. "Really, blondie, I thought you'd figure out that I can use my magic to prevent me from dyin'. Now do I haveta' ask again? Cut me down."

She gave him a glare. "My name is  _Lucy,_ not blondie. And I don't have anything sharp to do that. Also, if you're a fire warlock, why don't you just burn the rope?"

He gave her an incredulous look before realization washed over his handsome features. He had slit pupils, Lucy noticed. Cat-like, and deep green. "Yeah, I'm pretty dumb, then. Why didn't I think a' that? Thanks, Loony."

She grit her teeth in aggravation. "It's  _Lucy._ "

He gave a short chuckle before giving her a toothy grin. Lucy saw that she was right about the fangs: His canines were unusually long. He lifted the arm not covered by the single sleeve, and a flame sprung to life on the tip of his index finger, lighting up the clearing much more brilliantly than the meek flame in Lucy's lantern. He touched it to the rope, and Lucy watched in awe as it burned to embers under his touch, and soon snapped. He plummeted to the ground about a foot below, and slowly stood up. With another flick of his wrist, the remaining rope disintegrated into ash, scattering into the grass around his feet. With leisure, he stretched his toned arms, stretching his neck, and letting out sighs of satisfaction. Lucy simply observed in fascination. When he had finished his stretching, he approached her, sinking into a cross-legged position across from her. Putting his chin on a calloused hand, he regarded her with sharp eyes.

"What brings a girl like you to Hangman's forest?" He grinned again, displaying his fangs. Lucy straightened her back defiantly, crossing her arms beneath her ample chest.

"I needed an adventure. I'm tired of just eating and sleeping in my father's mansion. I needed an out."

The man chuckled. "Hell of an adventure. Hangman's Forest is no joke, Lucky. All sorts of dangerous creatures live here."

She narrowed her eyes. "My name is  _Lucy,_  not  _Lucky_ , definitely  _not Loony._ It's  _Lucy._  What's your name, anyway, Mr. Fire Warlock?"

His toothy grin made another appearance. "My name is Natsu. Natsu Dragneel. You mighta' heard of me. They call me Salamander."

Lucy's eyes widened slightly. Everyone had heard of Salamander. He was something of a freelancer. People with problems, be them monstrous or just plain ridiculous came to him for help. But Natsu the Salamander left destruction in his wake with his raging flames. He was dangerous, unpredictable. No wonder he had gotten hanged. Lucy gave a short laugh.

His face scrunched into one of confusion. "Sonethin' I said funny to you?"

She smirked. "Yeah, everyone's heard of you. But with all the destruction you cause, it's kind of expected you'd get hanged eventually."

He furrowed his eyebrows, the corners of his mouth drooping. "You see me burn my way free of a noose and you disrespect me? I'm in here for six weeks and this is how I'm treated? Seems unfair if ya ask me."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "You didn't say my name correctly even once and you think I should respect you?"

He crossed his arms in response. "Fine, I'll try to remember your name."

She smiled, satisfied. "Thank you. Now, I need to find a way out of here."

The warlock raised his eyebrows. "Lucy, I hate to break it to you..." His expression looked sheepish.

"What now?" Lucy said, breathing in through her nose.

"Once you're inside Hangman's Forest, you never leave."

Her blood ran cold.

_"Once you're inside Hangman's Forest, you never leave."_

Her lips began to tremble. "Never? But you must know how to get out of here. I wanna go home."

He gave her an indifferent look, but his eyes were sympathetic. "I'm sorry. It's my first time here. People have tried ta' kill me in many different ways, but this is the first time I've been hung."

Tears began to gather in her eyes, threatening to spill over. Natsu's expression turned to dismay. He never knew how to deal with crying.

She buried her face in her hands, trying to find her composure. Slowly, she raised her face to him, her expression defiant. "We have to try."

He was quiet for a moment, studying her face. Just when Lucy was beginning to feel uncomfortable, he spoke again. The, he smirked. "Ya know, everyone always told me I don't know how ta' give up. And I'm sure as hell not gonna give up on you, Lucy."

He rose to his feet suddenly, and Lucy hesitantly followed. She stood beside him on shaky legs, keeping her face defiant. Suddenly, she felt an assuaging heat wrap around her cold fingers. The skin was rough and calloused, and she looked down to find none other than his hand laced with hers. She looked up at him with bewilderment in her velvet brown eyes.

He gave her a confidant smile. "I'll try ta get us outta here, Lucy. Or we'll die trying."

Lucy looked at the ground, her eyes tracing the ring of ashes from the scorched rope. Her mind raced with incredulous thoughts. But the warm, rough hand wrapped around her own just reinforced the fact that this was happening  _now._ She gulped, returning her gaze to his face.

"It will be dangerous?" She asked quietly.

There was that toothy grin again, his fangs on full display. "Oh yeah."


	3. Shadow Elf

The warm hand around her own pulled her back to reality, and she could feel his rough finger squeeze her smaller ones. The warlock looked down at her with yet another toothy grin.

"If we're gonna get outta here, we gotta work together, kay?" His expression had suddenly turned serious. Lucy nodded softly.

"Are ya scared?" He asked, and Lucy gave him a defiant look.

"Of course not." That was a total lie. Lucy was terrified. She swallowed the dry lump in her throat, focusing on that warm hand; her tether to reality. They began to walk, and Lucy knelt to collect her lantern from the ground. Natsu gave her a quizzical look.

"Ya know I can jus' light a fire in my hand, yeah?" Natsu cocked his head, but Lucy nodded. She kept her grip firm on the handle.

"I'd like to keep it with me." She said, her voice quivering.

She peered around the clearing, taking in the trees. Craggy branches beckoned to her like sharp fingers, and moonlight lit the nearly bare treetops in an eerie glow. Lucy shivered, stealing closer to the fire warlock. Why was it so cold? She was sure it hadn't been so cold when she had walked here. She slid the lantern to the crook of her elbow, drawing the hood up around her head. That provided a little protection from the frigid air, but her face and cheeks were still prickled with the dropping chill. Another step and they had entered something of a path, lined with broken twigs and scattered leaves. A rabbit scurried across the path, it's eyes reflecting the light of the lantern. Lucy's grip on Natsu's hand tightened. It was so  _warm._ Even in the bitter cold, he was warm as an open flame. It was like holding her hands to warm them by a fire, like she often did in the winter when there was a fire burning in the mansion's grand library. Spetto always scolded her for getting so close, afraid the young heiress would hurt herself, but Lucy never listened. And yet, she never did burn herself.

The shadows grew thicker and the lantern only illuminated a few feet in front of them. Lucy gulped down her fear, finding comfort in the warlock beside her.

"Natsu...?" She stuttered, peering around the darkness. He gave a grunt in response, peering down at her.

"Do you have any idea where we're going?" Lucy asked. Natsu looked towards the next patch of trees, then at his boots.

"No. I'm following my nose." He looked up at her with a careful smile.

"Y-your nose?" She asked, bewildered.

The warlock nodded in assent. "Us elemental sorcerers have got the qualities of certain animals or creatures who dwell in or are associated with our element."

Lucy blinked. "And what's yours?"

"Dragons. Fire dragons, more specifically. I use dragon fire. I breath fire, I can even eat the stuff."

Lucy shook her head, and decided that she didn't know what was or wasn't normal with what she'd experienced in this forest. She didn't even question it.

Suddenly, she felt a prickle on the back of her neck, and she turned sharply, eyes wide. Leaning around a tree was a woman. Her hair was long and brown, tied into a loose bun, once neat but now matted and messy. She wore a long white dress with a deep brown woolen shawl. A black 'X' marked her abdomen. Pale hands gripped the tree, her nails broken and blunt. Here eyes were vacant, and what alarmed Lucy the most was the rope mark around her neck. Her lips moved as if she was speaking, but no sound came out.

Lucy instinctively clung to Natsu, a surprised gasp escaping her her lips. The warlock turned, his expression grim. "It's a ghost, Lucy. A spirit of the dead. One of the poor souls who wander here. So many have died that this has become a place where the barrier between the living and the dead has become thin. We gotta keep moving." His grip was firm as he tugged her on. "It's best not ta' look at them for too long."

Lucy tore her eyes from the form of the woman, her lip trembling. They just kept pressing on. Despite this man's warm presence, Lucy felt a chill on the back of her neck, causing the hair to stand on end. She put her head down, peering at the dead leaves as they crunched satisfyingly under her boots. Natsu's nose twitched, and he furrowed his eyebrows. Lucy did not notice this until he stopped abruptly, sniffing the air. Lucy gave the warlock a quizzical look. He turned sharply, pulling Lucy to his chest protectively.

"Natsu, what...?" Lucy began, but he interrupted her.

"I smell something. Come out, there's no use hiding." His breathing had picked up, his body tense.

Slowly, slowly, something crept out of the bushes. A hand, covered by a black glove was first, followed by it's twin. A dull silver ring with a deep blue stone was on the right hand, and then came the head. It was a girl. A young girl, at that. Her hair was so dark it was nearly purple, and was tied into two ponytails, held up by twisted black twine, brambles wrapped as an embellishment. Her face was pale as porcelain and delicate, eyes wide and deep charcoal. She had smokey tendrils snaking up the sides of her cheeks in coils. When Lucy looked at her ears, she noticed that they were pointed at the end. An elf? Lucy had only ever read about such creatures in story books. The girl slowly emerged, standing at her full height, which Lucy noticed was quite short. The aforementioned gloves reached her mid forearm. Her dress was gauzy and thin, made of inky, shimmering fabric. Almost as if the dress itself was gathered from shadows. The neck was just above her collarbone, dark crystals embellishing the throat. Long sleeves belled out at the wrists, also embellished with beads. Her skirt was knee length, made of shimmering black fabric, and the waist was clenched with more twisted twine and brambles. She wore no shoes except for more twine twisted about her ankles. The cloth that made up her dress seemed to shift between deep purple and black.

Lucy went silent from the ethereal girl, taking in her terrifying, yet beautiful appearance. Natsu seemed unfazed, though. "You're a Shadow Elf, yeah?"

The girl nodded. When she spoke, her voice was quiet. "Yes. You are a warlock. I can sense your power."

Natsu made a noise of assent. "Yeah. What's your name, elf girl?"

The elf didn't answer. She peered behind her, then back at Natsu and Lucy with her dark eyes. She finally spoke, looking at the ground. "I'm Wendy."

Natsu smiled. "I'm Natsu, and this here is Lucy. Do ya by any chance know yer way around this forest? We ain't gettin' anywhere on our own."

Wendy nodded, but gave him a doubtful look. "I travel through the shadows, usually," A smile spread across her delicate features, "But I can try to help. Where do you need to go?"

Natsu rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "We need ta' get outta here. Lucy needs to get home."

Wendy's eyes widened, and she laced her thin fingers together. "I'm afraid I don't know my way out of the forest. I was born here... raised here. But if you need my help, I will try."

Natsu gave her a warm smile. "Thanks. I haven't met very many elves that have actually helped me."

The elf raised her dark eyes to his face, studying him. "Then you haven't met many decent elves."

Lucy suddenly spoke up, coming out of her shock of meeting another supernatural creature. Really, she scolded herself, this should be fairly normal by this point.

"A-aren't you cold?" She asked, examining the elf's thin clothing.

In response, she smiled. "No. This is the kind of weather I'm used to. We live exposed to the elements every day of our lives. The wilderness is our home."

Lucy simply nodded. "Is there anything else here beside you?"

Wendy nodded, but her expression was grim. "Yes. There are others. But you need to be careful. Evil lurks here. I heard what your warlock friend said about the souls of the dead. So many have died within this forest that it has become stained. Tainted, if you will. It used to be beautiful, so full of life. But now these lost souls haunt the trees where the wood nymphs would dwell. They have since left. Only the ones who live in darkness like myself remain. There are monsters here. True horrors."

Lucy's expression was incredulous, and her voice was laced with fear, "Is it always dark here?"

Wendy shrugged. "It gets a tad lighter during the day, I suppose, but it stays pretty gloomy. I'm sorry."

Lucy gave her a soft smile. "There isn't any need to apologize. The dark is just making it hard to navigate."

Wendy gave her a gentle, reassuring smile. "I think he can probably light it up a bit."

Natsu grinned crookedly. "Yeah, but she wants her lantern. I guess it's comforting or somethin'"

The elf nodded. "Yeah, I like to hold on to my ring when I'm nervous." Seemingly to prove her point, she twisted the ring around her finger. She looked up at Lucy with wide eyes, stepping slowly towards the blonde. She reached a cold hand to let her small fingers graze the top of the blonde's hand.

The elf smiled, and the shadows seemed to smile at her too. "Don't worry. I'll try my best to help you."

Lucy took comfort in her words, but something told her that much bigger things would come her way.


	4. Ghost

With the Shadow Elf Wendy's guidance, (though she knew little about the bends and twists of the forest she called home as she usually traveled through its many shadows) the trek seemed a little less perilous. Ghosts of various degree popped up, bodies scattered, some half rotted away, ribcages and bared teeth showing. Lucy winced away, trying not to look. She could hear whispering voices the further she got, the screams of the dead. A woman's voice quivering for water, an man's howling for food. A child crying for her mother. Lucy tried to block it out. The hanging bodies terrified her the most. With their vacant stares and slack-jawed expressions. One man's body had been half devoured by some forest creature, and Lucy snapped her head away. She looked to Natsu, but his expression was blank, his brows furrowed slightly; a look of determination.

Lucy stumbled as the pale form of a slender woman trudged across the path. Wendy stopped to let her, a sigh escaping her lips. The woman had pale red hair, and her face was obscured by shadow. Her feet were bare, her black skirt hanging in tatters around her ankles. Her top was colorless, and her neck bent at a rakish angle. She was muttering, and Lucy could barely make out her words. She strained her ears to listen.

"Mama's coming, mama's coming, mama's coming..." repeated over and over. Lucy's breath stuck in her throat.

Natsu leaned close, his lips grazing her ear. "Lucy, do not speak to her. This one isn't harmless. Ghosts that cling onto things like that tend not to let go of them. If she thinks you'll get in her way, she will kill you."

The woman continued her dragging footsteps until she reached the other side of the path, and was just about to cross into the woods when Lucy shifted. A twig snapped beneath her boot. The ghostly woman froze, her chanting slowing, slowing, and all was quiet. She heard a 'whoosh' as their elfish guide dissolved into shadows. The woman's arms twitched, the head shifted, and just as Lucy thought she would walk on, the hands curled into fists, the already pale hands almost turning transparent. Her broken neck swayed, and with terrifying lethargy, the head turned towards her. The mouth was slack, the eyes vacant. Unlike the other clouded over eyes she'd seen on the dead bodies, these eyes were pitch black. Natsu spat a curse, and with swiftness, he turned so his cloak guarded them both. He pulled Lucy to his lithe chest, and pulled the hood up so it covered the back of his head. In a swipe of his hand, the lantern went out, leaving the pair in absolute darkness.

She could hear footsteps, almost not there, lighter than air padding across the leaves and twigs. They did not crunch or break. They merely creaked as ghostly feet plodded over them. Lucy felt like whimpering, but Natsu covered her mouth with his rough hand before she could make a noise. Pitch black was all she could see. She couldn't even see Natsu's face. His voice was quiet as it broke her terrified stupor.

"Do not make a noise. Do not move, or she will find you." His voice was firm, but not unkind.

Lucy nodded, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. Terror had her paralyzed, her body reacting to the instinct to stay still in the instance of danger. Natsu's breathing was quiet and steady, so much that she could barely hear it. The light footsteps drew closer, so close that they were almost beside them. She could see the unearthly glow emanated by the woman, a hand stretching forward, searching around blindly, fingers grabbing. Lucy felt like screaming, but Natsu's hand prevented her from making a peep. Tears were beginning to shine in her eyes. She squeezed them shut to prevent this, refusing to cry. The hand began to retreat, slowly back, and the footsteps slunk away, back to the path. The whispering picked up. Lucy almost laughed with relief as she heard the whispers of "Mama's coming..." begin to relay themselves, and slowly, the air of dread that had come with the ghostly woman began to dissipate, and was gone.

Natsu released her mouth from under his hand, and pulled her shaking form to his firm one. She began to pant, panicked, terrified breaths, and he stroked her hair to calm her. She felt a small hand rubbing her back, and she would have screamed bloody murder if she haden't realized that Wendy had probably reappeared by now.

Lucy choked out a sentence, her body still shaking against Natsu's, "I-is this Normal here?"

Wendy's voice came in a gentle whisper behind her, her hand remaining on her back. "The souls of the dead are everywhere. That was just one of them."

Natsu spoke this time, "Soul of the dead or not, we won't let em getcha'."

"Can I have the light back? I wanna be able to see again." Her grip tightened around the lantern's handle and Natsu gave a chuckle of apology. A flame lit on the tip of his finger, and he unwrapped Lucy from his embrace so he could open the small door which housed the candle. He lit the wick, and the flame danced again.

"There ya go. Light." Natsu gave her a smile, lacing their hands together again. Wendy walked in front of them, her charcoal eyes shining in the candlelight. Her pale skin seemed to glitter. Her expression was stern, but had a gentleness to it.

"Lucy, you have to be more careful. I've seen humans die that way before. You're lucky you had Natsu or you would have been toast." Wendy rushed forward, embracing her in a tight hug. The elf's body was cold, and the embrace felt like a gust night breeze wrapped around her body, but somehow firmer. She buried her head in Lucy's chest. "Be careful."

Lucy hesitated, using the arm which was free (and the hand attached to it was gripping the lantern) and wrapped it around the elf's form. She smiled softly. "I will."

Wendy moved away, smiling. "Good. Let's keep moving."

Onward they moved, Lucy's grip not loosening on Natsu's hand, and his never slipping from hers. Ghosts popped up near trees, some harmless, some as terrifying as that shuffling woman, but now Lucy knew what to do. She stayed still by Natsu's side, and Wendy would melt into the shadows whenever a malevolent spirit crossed their path. Soon, Lucy looked to Wendy, who walked ahead of them with an inhuman grace.

"Wendy?" Lucy asked, her voice quiet.

The elf didn't turn, but answered her in a light tone. "Yes?"

"Where are we going?"

Wendy turned finally, giving her a smile. "I don't know. I hope we can find somewhere safe."

They progressed on in the darkness, with only the elf as their guide.

All Lucy knew is that she needed rest soon.


	5. Wendigo

Eventually the trio had tracked down a cave. Lucy was dead on her feet, her eyes drooping in exhaustion. Wendy made her a soft bed of leaves, and Lucy had spread her cloak over her body. It was still cold, and she shivered, but eventually she felt a warmth sink over. The Warlock had claimed that he'd stay and keep watch, and had spread his thick cloak over her. The warmth was comforting, and the fabric smelled overwhelmingly like him. It smelled like coals, or a wood fire, and herbs, with something she had only ever smelled on him. He and Wendy switched off guard duty, and when Lucy woke next, Wendy was sound asleep next to her, her small body curled up in the leaves. Lucy closed her eyes to go back to sleep, letting Natsu's cloak warm her, but was snapped awake by a voice.

"Lucy..."

It was Natsu... But something was off. She chose to stay where she was, warm and safe with the Shadow Elf beside her.

"Lucy, help me." The voice came again. Lucy's eyes popped open. Natsu sounded as if he was in pain. But something was definitely off. It sounded distorted somehow.

Suddenly, a putrid smell met her nostrils. It was almost too awful for her to bear. It smelled like rotten meat. She could feel bile churning in her stomach, and Lucy took a gasp through her mouth to stop inhaling the scent. The voice came again, that pained voice. Natsu? Lucy needed to help him. She shifted on her bed of leaves, warmed by her body heat and the thick cloak over her, and stood up. She used her palm to cover her nose as she crept out of the cave.

"Lucy."

She heard Natsu's voice call again, distorted. Painstaking. She needed to help him. What if the warlock had gotten himself caught by one of those ghosts? Lucy dreaded to think of it. The smell got stronger, and Lucy gagged. She leaned over, resting her hands on her knees, and threw up the berries that Wendy had picked for them earlier. But the smell persisted. It smelled like a dead body.

"Soul of the dead or not, we won't let em getcha'." That was something he'd said to her a few hours ago. Or was it a few minutes?

The voice was behind her. The second she heard the voice up close, she knew;  _this is not Natsu._

She almost didn't dare turn around, but curiosity killed the cat, and that's exactly what she did.

What was in front of her was something horrifying. Someone- no- some _thing_  was standing roughly six feet away from her. It was far too tall to be human, with long spindly arms ending in knife-like claws. Something inky dripped from the points, pooling on the leaves. The moonlight was enough (surprisingly) to illuminate the thing, and three feet behind it was a deer. It had been torn open. The thing had the legs of a deer, but like it, they were much too long. The hooves were only slightly larger than a normal deer's, and yet they supported the creature's unnaturally tall body. A trail of course hair went up it's abdomen, also stained inky, and it joined the hair on the chest. Great, hulking shoulders supported the most terrifying part of all. The head was a deer's head, the antlers sharpened to a deathly point. The eyes were hollow, void of any pupil except two pinpricks of white in the center of the dark. The mouth was fanged, which looked odd on a deer. It opened it's mouth, and without moving it's malformed jaw, it spoke.

"Lucy, help me." It was Natsu's voice. Lucy's blood ran cold.

Where had Natsu been when she last saw him? It struck her all at once. Natsu was in front of the cave when she left. She had barely noticed him. Lucy needed to run. Her fight or flight instincts kicked in, and she took off. Crunching footsteps sounded behind her, and she dared not make noise. Where was that cave again? She began to pant, panicked breaths, and she called Natsu's name in a panicked frenzy. This thing was chasing her, and she was running on pure adrenaline.

 _"NATSU!"_ Her voice sounded pathetically terrified, and the thing snorted out her name again in Natsu's voice, but it became less and less human sounding the more it spoke. What the hell is this thing. She willed her aching legs to run further, further, don't stop. She needed to get to safety. The cold air was burning her lungs, and tears streamed down her terrified face. She called his name again. All at once, she was in the air, flying.

No, she was falling. She had tripped. Lucy landed painfully on her stomach, and scrambled to get up. Wheezing breath was very close behind her. By the time she was to her feet, Natsu's distorted voice sounded again.

"NATSU HELP ME!" She screamed, beginning to run again. Her legs were growing week. She was losing speed. She fell again, ready to accept her fate, when crunching footsteps progressed towards her.

A very human gasp sounded, and a blazing light lit up the trees around her. Looking over her shoulder, she spotted a pair of human legs. The father her eyes traveled up, the more human the figure got. Salmon colored hair, and in the right hand was a raging ball of flame. The creature was standing defiant, it's deer head cocked heavily to one side. It began to rock, back and forth, and it took Lucy a terrifying second to realize it was about to charge. The second it's hooves lifted from the ground, the flame was released from the warlock's hand, hurtling towards the creature at an alarming speed. It want ablaze in seconds, a scream emerging, sounding something like a pig being slaughtered and a grown man. It burned, the screams dying as the figure became smeller. It had burned to a pile of ashes. The flame went out, leaving the girl and the warlock in the moonlight.

Lucy began to cry. All at once, Natsu had scooped the weeping blonde into his arms, stroking her hair and muttering comforting words. Her body shook, the shock of what she'd seen unable to sink in.

She didn't move away from the warlock by an inch, but managed to stutter out a few words; "What was that?"

Natsu's voice was grim. "That was a Wendigo.

Lucy gave a choked sob. "A w-what?"

Natsu sighed. "A Wendigo is a cannibalistic spirit. It is said that a human can change into a Wendigo when they indulge in cannibalism, or that a Wendigo can possess a human. Some sources say that the possession causes the transformation, while others say that being bitten by one can cause it."

"Did it want to eat me?"

Natsu nodded. "I think so. They can mimic the voices of a person's friends or loved ones. We need a code. If you ever hear something, if you don't know it's me, say 'aye.' I will respond so you know."

Lucy nodded, the notion comforting.

"Now," Natsu said, pulling away slightly, "Let's get you back to the cave. I think this has been enough adventures for now."

Lucy nodded.

Later, back in the cave, they had told Wendy what happened. She agreed to keep watch, and Natsu would stay with Lucy. Lucy fell asleep quickly after that.


	6. Kuchisake-onna

Lucy's sleep was restless, and she woke frequently, the face of the defeated creature entrapped in her mind. Natsu sat against a rock beside her, snoring loudly. Dim light, barely brighter than the moonlight was clawing it's way through the foliage, and Lucy could tell it was day. Wendy had woken her earlier, shaking her awake to show her how day looked in the forest. She said they would need to travel by nightfall, as the shadows were more abundant. It was safer for Wendy. Dread filled Lucy's stomach at the thought of the servants back home waking, going to rouse her for her tutoring, and finding her gone. Her father wouldn't care. He'd just see it as a minor inconvenience, but Spetto would be distraught. She was who Lucy was most worried about.

When Lucy woke again, the light was dim, a fire lit in the center of the cave. Natsu sat crosslegged by it, gazing into the tongues of flame. Wendy was sitting at the mouth of the cave, a smooth stone in her hand. She tossed it, allowing it to flip in the air before catching it again. Lucy closed her eyes to fall asleep again, but she had reached her limit. Sitting up on her bed of leaves, she crawled over to Natsu by the fire. He looked at her with a smile, and then back at the flames. The fire was warm as him, and Lucy found the heat comforting.

"Mornin', sleepin' beauty." Natsu said, reaching a hand out to the fire. he let the flames lick his fingertips like one might allow a loyal dog to. He didn't seem bothered by the heat. His wrist raised, bringing the fire with it, shaping it, bending it. It curled into a ball, and when he flicked his wrist, the fire flared. Lucy scuttled back, and Natsu laughed jovially.

"It ain't gonna burn ya. I won't let it." His smile was easy.

Lucy got closer again, Natsu's cloak still around her body. She looked up at him. "Are you cold?"

He looked down at her, "Me? Nah. I've got internal heat. A fire in my belly, if ya know what I mean." He gave her a fanged grin. Lucy smiled back.

Natsu looked at the fire thoughtfully. "I guess I can sorta spread it through my body. It helps keep me warm."

Wendy turned towards them. "Night is falling again. We need to get moving soon."

Natsu gave her a quizzical look, "Where are we goin' in such a hurry?"

"I think it's best you go see the Fairy Queen. She can probably help."

Lucy blinked, "The Fairy Queen?"

Wendy nodded. "Titania Erza. And Oberon Jellal. Jellal is the Fairy King."

The blonde looked into the fire, her eyes hopeful. "Are you sure she can help us?"

Wendy nodded determinedly. "Yes. Titania is a good queen. She will do her best to help."

Natsu piped up enthusiastically. "Well, to Titania it is then. Let's get packing!"

Wendy smiled gently at the warlock's enthusiasm. "Yes. Lets."

And so they did. Lucy jumped back in shock when Natsu literally inhaled the fire, consuming it with a satisfied burp. Wendy rubbed her temples. After the three of them had gathered their things, Lucy's lantern was lit, and Natsu had put his cloak on, and Wendy waited for them at the mouth of the cave. They set off, the warlock's hand intertwined with Lucy's, and the Shadow Elf guiding them.

"Titania's hollow is a good ways from here," Wendy turned towards them with a sheepish smile, "You're gonna have to stay vigilant, okay?"

Lucy nodded determinedly. Natsu just grinned, flashing her a thumps up.

It wasn't long until Lucy had to use the bathroom. She announced this to her companions, and Wendy assured she's keep watch in she shadows. This worried Lucy, but the elf promised she wouldn't look.

After Lucy had finished, she adjusted her skirt when and tugged her cloak around her when she heard a noise. A twig snapping underfoot, perhaps. She narrowed her eyes. Seriously, this was getting old. Another creature would pop out to scare her, try to kill her, or hurt her in some way. Lucy cursed herself for even thinking of coming to this forest. But if she hadn't... She would have never met her new friends. She turned, ready to go back to her friends, when she heard another step, this time closer. No, no, no. She was  _not_ turning around. Not this time. Not for whatever horrifying creature was behind her. She tried to keep walking, but something cold inched onto her shoulder. It felt like if she tried to step forward, it would literally pull her arm right out of the socket. Lucy's hand began to shake. Her lantern rattled in her hand, the hinges creaking. Slowly, it slid from her shoulder, put the building presence behind her remained.

Wait, hold on. What kind of person would she be if she couldn't face her problems? She needed to confront the whatever-it-was that stood behind her. She steeled her nerves, taking a deep breath. She could hear her heart pound in her ears. Oh, who was she fooling? She was terrified. Lucy gulped again, and whirled around. There was something there. It was a woman.

She stared at her through pale blue eyes, her skin as white as snow. The woman's long black hair fell to her hips. She was wearing a heavy brown cloak, and Lucy could see a white skirt peeking out the bottom around her ankles. Black boots covered her feet. She couldn't see her entire face, though. Her mouth, as well as part of her nose were covered by a surgical mask. Lucy narrowed her eyes at her strange appearance.

"H-hello?" Lucy stepped away slightly, stopping abruptly when her back made contact with a tree. "Do you need help?"

The woman did not move. She didn't even see her mouth move, but she heard her voice, a rattling, raspy noise that sent shivers down Lucy's spine.

"Am I pretty?"

Lucy's eyes widened, and she began to grow uneasy. The surgical mask was already doing a fine job at that, but the woman's piercing stare combined with her chilling voice and odd appearance made the feeling all the more terrifying.

"Uh... Wendy?" Lucy stammered.

Lucy had heard of this legend. If she could only remember the name...

The woman's head tilted to the side, and she repeated the question, "Am I Pretty?"

Well, she wasn't ugly. Her piercing eyes where chilling, but their almond shape and the smoothness of her charcoal hair had a certain grace to it. She had seen more striking woman, but the mask was odd. Lucy also had enough experience in this forest that she knew this woman was probably no longer alive. She needed to answer carefully. Her lips twitched nervously.

"Y-yes?" Lucy glanced at the shadows,  _"Any time now, Wendy..."_

The woman reached up a pale hand towards her surgical mask, her eyes never leaving Lucy's face. With a tug, she swept it off. Lucy gasped. Her mouth was slashed wide open from ear to ear in a hideous, cooked grin.  _Great._

Lucy had honestly seen worse in this forest, but the stare combined with the mouth were enough to make her want to run away. "Wendy!"

The slit-mouthed woman payed no heed to Lucy's plea for help, and her voice rattled again; "Am I pretty

 _"No,"_ Lucy thought, " _You are terrifying. Please kindly leave."_

Lucy nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt a small, cold hand slip into her own. She glanced desperately to her side, and Wendy stood there. Her dark eyes were focused on the woman. She barely looked at Lucy before whispering, "Say she looks normal. Then  _run._ "

Now Lucy remembered the legend. Kuchisake-onna. The slit-mouthed woman. Was this really her, or some version of her? Lucy had no time to ponder it, and stuttered out an answer in the calmest voice possible. "You look average."

The woman froze mid-step, her eyebrows furrowed in a confused look. Her grip tightening on Wendy's hand, Lucy began to run, tugging the elf along with her.

On the other side of the tree was Natsu, who looked surprised at the pair as they ran towards him. Lucy grabbed his hand, pulling him along.

"Woah woah! Where are we going!"

"Away from here!"

She could hear Natsu's chuckle.

* * *

After a good while of running, the trio made their way good and far from where Lucy had seen the slit-mouthed woman. Wendy was resting on a fallen log, and Natsu leaned against a tree. He gave Lucy a quizzical look. "Hey, why were we running?"

Lucy provided no more of an explanation than "Ghost. Slit mouthed ghost."

Natsu decided not to press her.

Lucy turned to Wendy. "Wendy, are there any other types of elf other than you?"

Wendy nodded. "There are plenty more than just the Shadow Elves. There are Frost Elves, there are Fire Elves, and there are Earth Elves. The realm of the Frost Elves isn't too far from here, and we have to pass through there to reach the Queen's hollow. It's gonna be cold. I'll go get some warmer clothes for Lucy. I think Natsu will be fine, and I'll need a cloak this time too. I'm actually glad you asked. I'll be right back."

With a wave of her dainty hand, Wendy melted into the shadows pooled in front of the fallen tree.

Lucy stood to join Natsu beside the tree he was leaning against. He turned to her, smiling. "How bout' we go back to that log. Comfier, I'd say."

Lucy nodded in response. She sat down, back against the trunk of the fallen tree, legs laid strait on the bed of leaves. Natsu sat beside her. His presence was warm, and it was all Lucy could to to not steal closer to him. He looked down at her with bright hazel eyes. "You cold? You're shivering."

Lucy hadn't noticed. But Natsu lifted the cloak so she could move against him, and he was radiating heat now. When she didn't move, Natsu pulled her to him, closing the cloak around them. Oh, that was nice and warm. Lucy closed her eyes in contentment. Was his fire magic what made him so warm? She tucked her legs beneath her body for further warmth. It took her a moment to realize that he had an arm around her. Her face flushed crimson, and she almost pulled away when Natsu began to speak.

"I miss home."

Lucy froze, and she thought of her bedroom, her thick duvet and fluffy pillows. "Me too."

Natsu smiled. "I wanna see your home when we get outta' here."

The blonde laughed nervously, "I'm not sure you'd be let in."

"Eh? Why not?" Natsu's expression was comically confused. Lucy smiled, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I'm a rich girl. I've got my mansion, my servants," Her expression turned sour, "I hate it."

"Why's that?"

Lucy closed her eyes. "I want to live somewhere fun. I want to go on adventures. But I have to stay in that big house, and get married to whoever my father wants, and inherit some big company that I don't want to begin with."

"Then don't take it, Lucy. It's simple as that."

Lucy sighed. "No it isn't. It would be different if mom..."

"Hm?"

"If mom was still here." Lucy's voice broke, and she cleared her throat to hide it.

"Well were'd she go?" Natsu asked, his voice questioning. Lucy chuckled bitterly. "She died."

The warlock was silent for a moment before speaking softy. "Oh. I'm so sorry."

Lucy gave a wry smile.

Natsu tightened his hold on her. "My father went missing when I was a kid. Igneel, his name was. He taught me everything I know about fire magic. He wasn't my blood father, more like adoptive. But I still miss him."

Lucy felt her heart tighten, and she buried her face in the warlock's shoulder. "I'm sorry. That must have been hard."

Natsu's smile was confident. "I'll find him someday. Just you watch. You could help me. Escape that house."

The blonde considered this. Freedom. Nothing but the open road, adventure and danger. It sounded terrifying...  _exhilarating._ But escaping meant leaving her father, her servants. Spetto.  _No_ , Lucy thought,  _My father doesn't care. He wouldn't even notice me gone._ Adventure with the fire warlock sounded amazing. Just what she needed: freedom. She simply smiled. "I'd like that."

Natsu grinned. "I'd like to have you with me..."

He would have continued if it weren't for Wendy suddenly emerging from the shadows, carrying two large bundles almost too large for her dainty body. She dropped them beside Lucy and Natsu, sliding down beside them. "Got the cloaks."

The cloak Wendy had wound herself in was made of deep violet cloth, thick and shiny with cottony white fur stitched into the hem and around the hood. The cloth seemed to shimmer as she moved, fastening the intricately carved star shaped clip at her throat. When she pulled it around her body, it obscured everything but her face and her feet. She had gotten a pair of boots to wear. They were black, the same type of fur sewn to the top.

Lucy's cloak was different. It was shimmering ebony cloth, as if embroidered with stars, the cloth heavy and thick. Intricate winding patterns stitched in silvery thread snaked up from the hem to halfway up the back of the cloak. Fur also lined this cloak, thick and downy, and the inside was laced with the downy substance as well. The clip was a crescent moon, etched with designs. It stayed around her body, no tugging involved, and Lucy felt pleasantly warmer the second she draped it around her body. Wendy had also gotten her a pair of gloves, the same fabric as the cloak. They were warm. Lucy deeply appreciated the warm garments, and hugged Wendy from her thankfulness.

Wendy looked bashful when she pulled away. "It was nothing, Lucy," Wendy pulled up her hood, turning. She looked back over her shoulder at the blonde and the warlock.

"Let's go see the queen."


	7. The Ice Elves

As the trio progressed further and further, the cold grew more and more bitter. The cloak kept her body warm for the most part, but it nipped at her nose with numbing fangs. There was a chill set into her bones that was dissipating, but the dropping temperatures slowed the process down quite a bit. Natsu kept their hands together, and Wendy moved soundlessly ahead of them, every so often glancing back to make sure they were safe.

The bodies lining the forest floor were mostly preserved, the cold keeping them that way. They looked like they could stand up and carry a conversation with one another. Well, the ones that had their necks unbroken, which Lucy noticed was a fair few. Spirits flitted through the trees, and at one point, Lucy heard chattering teeth that seemed to be right beside her ear, but when she turned to look, there was nothing. She tightened her grip on Natsu's hand. The leaves were lined with frost, and it grew denser until it was shimmering in the light of the lantern.

"It's c-cold..." Lucy stuttered. Her nose was numb from the cold, and she could barely feel the tips of her ears. Natsu stopped suddenly, turning to face her. She looked at him with wide eyes, and he came close. Very close, until their noses were brushing. He reached behind her head, lifting the hood until it encircled her face. She could feel the warmth of the fabric as soon as it was up, and the feeling returned to her ears all at once. Lucy gave the warlock a grateful smile. They carried on, side by side again.

"We're just about to enter the realm of the Frost Elves. It's very cold, so stay close to Natsu." Wendy said suddenly.

Lucy looked at the back of the Shadow Elf's head quizzically. "What about you?"

Wendy turned, giving her a warm smile. "I'll be fine. Remember, I'm used to the cold." Lucy reluctantly nodded.

It felt like they'd stepped into a refrigerator. there was suddenly snow blanketing the ground, and the flakes drifted down slowly, joining the piles. Lucy watched in amazement, the quiet of the drifting snow calming. She looked over her shoulder, and sure enough, she could make out a barrier where the two realms met. While there was nothing but shadow laced through the trees behind her, the side she was one now, while still shadowy and foreboding, was somehow brighter. Maybe it was the moonlight on the snow.

Wendy waved them on, drifting back to be closer to the pair behind her. They walked further, and there seemed to be no bodies anywhere Lucy looked, but she realized with a start that they were probably buried under the many snowdrifts. She gulped, careful to watch her step. They soon reached a clearing, and the moon grinned full and bright over her head, the stars winking down at her. Lucy kept her eyes on the moon. It seemed not to have even moved since she had entered the forest. It was like eternal night, always dark and always solemn. Lucy kept her quivering body closer to the warlock, and his hand squeezed hers reassuringly.

The snow glistened, and Lucy took a breath of frigidly thin air as they walked towards the other end of the clearing. They were about to step back into the snowy brambles when Natsu froze. He was sniffing the air, his pupils slits. He looked nearly animalistic. Lucy gazed up at the warlock in frightened silence. Maybe this would be a good thing; last time this had happened, Wendy had emerged. Lucy tried to shuffle closer to him, but found she couldn't move her feet. Her arms could move, and when she reached down attempt to reclaim her legs from the ground, they did not budge. Natsu's eyes were darting to and fro, and Lucy whimpered.

"Natsu..." She whispered, and his restless gaze snapped to her. "What's going on?"

He snapped his gaze away again, sniffing the air once more. "Someone... I smell someone."

Lucy's breath caught in her throat. "Natsu I can't move my legs."

The warlock looked down, and so did the blonde, and there was a coating of ice surrounding her feet. It was snaking up her legs, entrapping them. Lucy began to pant, her lips shaking. Natsu quickly knelt, releasing her hand, and he spread heat from the tips of his fingers to the surface of the ice, but it did little to thaw it. The ice rose higher, and Lucy began to feel the chill through the leather of her boots. Angry now, Natsu shot into a standing position, and grit his teeth.

"Come out, ya coward. And leave Lucy alone!"

The air seemed to quiver, and a man emerged from the snow. His hair was silver, the color of the snow, and his pale face was thin. He had dark almond shaped eyes and a flop of hair fell over his left brow. He was dressed in a high collared white shirt, tight fitting and lined with silvery trim. Silver patterns were stitched into the fabric. His arms were left bare despite the frigid cold. His trousers were black and tight, and he wore a pair of white boots, also lined with sliver at the tops. His ears were pointed, telling Lucy he was an elf like Wendy.

Wendy's breath was quiet when she spoke. "Ice elf."

A smirk crawled onto the elf's handsome face as he strode closer, sliding through the snow as if it wasn't even there. When he reached Lucy, he brought a hand to her chin, tilting it to look into his charcoal eyes. His fingers were cold as the wintery air, and Lucy shivered.

"Pretty thing, aren't you? We don't often get humans here."

Natsu gave a growl of rage, and shoved the man back. His hands were alight with flame as the elf stumbled, but managed to keep his footing. He shook his finger in mock scolding. "Well, a warlock is not as rare, but we seldom get your kind as well. Especially this deep in the forest."

Natsu's voice was a dangerous growl. "Release her."

"I don't think so. I think this human shall stay with me." His smirk made Lucy fearful, and she shivered as she felt the ice encasing climb past her boots and onto her legs.

Wendy stepped beside Natsu, and the shadows seemed to tremble in her wake. "Do what the warlock says, Ice Elf."

The ice elf chuckled. "Well, little shadow elf, you're a ways from home. What brings you here?"

"We're trying to get to the queen." Wendy's voice was dangerously low, but it didn't sound as venomous as Natsu's.

The man shifted in the snow, just about to answer when another man walked into the clearing. His hair was jet black and messy, his eyes deep blue, and his face was intensely handsome. His lower half was covered by tight black trousers, a silver belt around his waist. He also wore boots, but they were black, lined with silver. His toned chest was completely bare, and the cold seemed not to phase him. The only thing on his chest was a silver necklace, adorned with a pendant of a cross. A blue stone was set where the pieces of the cross met. His ears were pointed, telling Lucy this man was also an elf. His icy gaze drifted to the other male elf, and he glared.

"Lyon, let the human go." He crossed his arms.

The elf called Lyon rolled his eyes, "Gray, you really must lighten up. You never let me have any fun."

Gray's gaze sharpened, and he scoffed. "Your idea of games is brutally unappealing to me. Do I gotta repeat myself? Let the human go, Lyon."

"And what will you do if I do not?" His voice was sharp, challenging. The ice was climbing higher.

"I don't  _have_  to do anything," Gray said lazily, "That will be taken care of by that angry Fire Warlock behind you and his Shadow Elf friend. We don't want war with the Shadow Kingdom. Let her go  _now,_  Lyon."

Lyon muttered something about the other elf being a buzzkill, and with a flick of his wrist, the ice began to recede. Lucy gave a sigh of relief. She stumbled forward on numb feet, falling against Natsu in the process. He said nothing, but pulled her upright. She wobbled when he released her, and he pulled her to him so she could regain feeling in her feet.

"You wanna die, snow queen?" Natsu hissed, flames bursting to life around his clenched fist. Lyon smirked but he walked away, blending with the snow. Natsu gave a roar of rage. "Coward!"

Gray was standing beside Wendy, and Lucy hadn't seen him move. He sighed, looking at the furious warlock with careful eyes. "Let him go. He's kind of a trickster.  _That-_ " The elf gestured towards Lucy's legs, "Was his idea of a joke."

Lucy scoffed, looking in the direction the silver haired man had disappeared. "Some joke."

The elf gave a short chuckle. "He's got a screwed up sense of humor."

Natsu's eyes narrowed. "Keep him away from Lucy."

Gray was quiet for a few moments before sighing. "Okay, magma breath, it isn't my fault he's a jackass. But if you've got anyone to blame, it's the human for getting so deep in the forest."

Natsu growled low in his throat. "Watch your mouth, Ice Princess, or I'll burn you to embers."

The Ice Elf tensed, "Do you wanna go, fire eater?"

"Let's rumble, popsicle breath!"

Lucy winced, pushing with all her might against the Warlock as he attempted to surge forward, and suddenly Wendy was in between them, her arms outstretched on either side of her to keep the two men separated. "That's enough," Wendy said gently, but her eyes were flared. They froze, looking anywhere but at one another. Lucy sighed.

With a purpose, Wendy turned towards Gray. "Look, we may need some help navigating this realm. So will you help us?"

Gray looked at her incredulously. "I'm not going anywhere with fire boy over there!"

Natsu tried to run towards him again, but Lucy kept him in place by pushing him back. She looked at Gray desperately. "I wanna go home. Please help us. Please."

Gray sighed, but reluctantly agreed. Another elf had joined their team.


	8. Water Nymph

The Ice Elf called Gray Fullbuster certainly made traversing through the icy realm easier, and the cold was lessened by their cloaks, but the ever-present darkness hung like a shroud. Spirits of the dead flitted to-and-fro, and Lucy's grip never lessened Natsu's hand. He kept close to the blonde girl, his sharp senses searching for danger. Wendy, meanwhile, was chatting cheerfully with the Ice Elf, and he was replying halfheartedly.

"How much longer?" Lucy asked, and Gray sighed.

"You guys chose a particularly narrow spot of territory to cross, so it really shouldn't be much longer until we're back in the realm of the Shadow Elves." Gray said, glancing over his shoulder at the blonde.

Wendy piped up. "Will you stay with us?"

He chuckled in reply. "I can't see why not. Could be interesting."

The snow was falling harder, making vision difficult, but the snow seemed to bend and clear around Gray, giving them a path. But Lucy noticed that as soon as they stepped through, the snow closed like a curtain behind them, the flurry continuing. Gray's voice was heard a few times above the howling wind, giving the party updates, and Lucy tried her best to not mishear him.

The snow really was beautiful, white and pure. Possibly the purest snow Lucy had ever seen. She gazed through the flurries, and spotted a figure. It was of a girl. She was drifting noiselessly through the thick blankets of snow, closer. She had long black hair, and was not nearly dressed for the frigid weather. From what Lucy could make out, she was wearing a red dress which stopped just below the knee, and her legs were bare. A shiver went down her spine when Lucy noticed that despite the wind, the girls hair and clothes seemed not to be affected. Not a strand of her inky tresses were out of place. Her dress stayed stationary around her legs. As she got closer, Lucy noticed her legs and arms were tainted blue, presumably from the cold.

Lucy glanced at Natsu, and his eyes were trained on the girl as well. Without moving his gaze, he hissed; "Don't stop. Keep walking."

"What is it?" She asked in a small voice.

"A spirit. It seems to be a little girl."

Lucy snapped her gaze away and quickened her pace.

* * *

They were soon met with the same divide Lucy had seen when she and her friends had initially passed into the realm of the Ice Elves. They passed over, and the cold lessened by a fraction, but the dull chill stayed. Their first obstacle was a river. Gray went pale.

His voice was strained with when he spoke, his body tense. "C-can we find a way around this river?"

"Are you afraid of water, popsicle breath?" Natsu deadpanned.

Gray rolled his eyes. "Of course not. I'm just a bit wary of what dwells in it."

"Fish?" Wendy asked.

"Rocks?" Lucy added.

"Plants?" Natsu wondered.

Gray pinched the bridge of his nose. "No. None of those. Who the hell would be afraid of a rock? Or a plant for that matter."

Natsu shrugged, and then his face lit up. "Water nymph?" Lucy took a moment to ponder how he knew that, but then she remember that he was a warlock.

Gray nodded. "Yeah. That. There's one of those living in the rivers here named Juvia. She's got a thing for me."

"A bad thing?" Lucy asked.

"You could say that." Gray sighed, turning towards them, and he would have continued, but the river jumped out of it's banks. Or some of the water did, at least.

It draped itself over Gray, and he didn't seem surprised. Arms materialized, followed by a throat, a face, and long cobalt tresses. The eyes were sharp, the same shade of blue as the hair. Lucy recognized the woman immediately. She had seen her face in the river her first night here. From what Lucy could see, the woman, presumably Juvia, was wearing a short top with thin straps encrusted with river stones. It had sheer sleeves attached what seemed to be liquid. Her lower half was covered by a flowing skirt made of the same liquid material that reached her mid-shin, adorned with a belt also encrusted with river stones and dull silver spirals. On her feet were dull silver sandals. She had a dull silver circlet around her head to match. The second her body made contact with the air, ice crystals formed on the hem of her skirt and frost crystalized her sleeves. But she didn't seem bothered.

"Oh my darling Gray you have come to visit me! I am so happy!" The woman's face expressed nothing but bliss, and she nuzzled her nose against the irate Ice Elf's neck.

"Juvia, get off me." Gray deadpanned, shrugging her off him. She landed on the riverbank with a thud. She looked wounded. She reached a hand into the water, and drew out a cloak to Lucy's astonishment. It was deep blue and trimmed with fur. She stood, draping it around herself, clasping it with a shell shaped pin.

Juvia's sapphire eyes filled with tears. "Why do you reject me, my love?"

"Juvia, we've been over this. I am not-"

Juvia cut him off by wrapping her arms around the Elf's midsection. He sighed.

"Oh. That kind of bad." Natsu observed. Gray glared at him.

Juvia closed her eyes, a blissful smile spreading across he porcelain face. "Now that you're here, my love, everything is wonderful."

Gray pinched the bridge of his nose irritably. "Get off, Juvia." He groaned.

She slinked back folding her arms. "As you wish, my love."

Gray looked back at his companions. "Let's go. Juvia, you stay here."

Juvia looked heartbroken, and Lucy's own heart twanged sympathetically.

"But Gray, my love! I must stay by to protect you." The water nymph began to weep. Gray looked at Natsu and Lucy in dismay.

Gray sighed, awkwardly patting her on the head, which seemed to quell her sobs. "I'm sure I'll manage."

She gave him a careful look. "Okay. But be careful, my love."

The party moved out, but as Gray looked back at the reluctant water nymph, Lucy noticed there was affection in his eyes.


	9. Fog

Not long after exiting the realm of the Ice Elves, the snow switched to sleet, sharp and cold. The ground was shrouded in mist, and Lucy's lantern did very little to cut the gloom. The ever-present shadows remained, draped across the scraggly trees. Gray was unaffected by the cold, walking casually with his hands in his pockets. Natsu's hand remained the same temperature, and Lucy had the feeling his body temperatures averaged a bit higher than that of a normal human.

Lucy decided to keep herself close to him to keep warm. Wendy would attempt to make conversation every so often, but navigation through the dense fog prevented them from talking for very long. The bodies had begun to return, one of them oddly draped over a tree branch, her pale arms and legs on either side. Her hair was long and pale blonde, her dress a faded blue. There was a broken noose around her neck. Lucy forced herself to look away. As she did, a pale figure peeking out from behind the tree caught her eye, but as quickly as she'd seen it, it was gone.

The sleet was coming down hard, and when flakes of it got past Lucy's hood, it felt like needles pricking at her skin. She moved her head back, trying to get her face farther away from the opening of the hood. She could see her breath pluming in front of her face. Lucy was so tired. So cold. She wanted to go home, back in her warm bed. Part of her wished she hadn't even gone on this terrifying journey, but the other was curious. That side of her was curious of what she would find in those inky shadows, in the branches of the decrepit trees, and in the unsure path before her. That part of her terrified her. And the fog just kept getting thicker. It was like it was alive, twisting and grabbing at her ankles and the hem of her skirt with desperate fingers. She couldn't even see ten feet in front of her. She could barely see Gray and Wendy, their hair and clothes faded splashes of color in the fog. Something felt wrong. She felt weird, and her brain was telling her to run. Her nerves were on edge. Then she realized.

Something was wrong with the fog.

The fog was getting thicker, and she felt like she was being grabbed. The fog was alive, swirling around her in whips tendrils, obscuring her vision. It was so cold, so damp, and she could feel it coating her body. All she could see was dull gray, and she began to flail her arms, attempting to find a tree, a rock, anything to bull her out of the fog. Her breath came in erratic bursts, and the more she fought, it seemed, the thicker the fog got. She sunk down, hugging her knees, trying to make herself as small as possible. Don't move, maybe it will go away. When she opened her eyes, the fog had receded. The fog was still there, but it was normal fog, coating the tree trunks and the forest floor, but she could see through it. Lucy slowly rose, looking for her friends, but she found them to be gone. Panic spread through her body like a wildfire. When had Natsu slipped away from her? Her cinnamon eyes went wide, and she gripped her lantern tight with shaking fingers. She cupped her hands around her mouth and called the names of her friends. "Hello? Natsu! Wendy! Gray!"

Nothing but echoes. The forest was unnaturally still. Lucy took several quick breaths, trying to keep her composure, but her heart was beating like a trapped bird.

"Anyone!" Lucy called, her voice breaking. She mentally scolded herself for not being stronger, and steeled herself. Where had they gone? She turned in a frantic circle, and she suppressed the panic. The blonde's courage began to grow thin, but she called out again. "Natsu! Where are you!"

Then, almost at a whisper, she heard voices. Calling in the distance, tiny, and very far away. Lucy began to panic. She desperately called out the name of her companions one by one, and finally, with a pleading voice, she called Natsu's.

"Natsu! Where are you? Please! Help me!" Lucy was shaking.

Her nose got that tickling feeling like when you're about to cry, and a lump began to form in her throat. She swallowed it, and called out again. Her eyes prickled, and she felt as if there were eyes on her from every direction. She was alone. Lucy staggered, her back making contact with a tree trunk, and she sank to her knees. She closed her eyes, looking up at the bare treetops. "Please!" She cried, "I don't want to be alone!"

Alone. That had to be Lucy's least favorite word. It was what she was after her mother died, after her father isolated himself, after the funeral, where everyone would look at her like she might break, treating her with careful words and kind glances. Alone. Yes, she hated that word and everything that came along with it. Her eyes felt warm, and her shoulders shook. All she could think was that damned word.  _"Alone, alone, alone."_  Over and over and over again, repeating like a broken record. She wanted it to stop. She didn't want to be alone anymore. Sweet little Wendy and Natsu with his fiery personality all made her feel warm and protected. She felt the floodgates break, and she began to cry. The tears where warm, and she welcomed them on her cold face. The first sob came, bubbling in her throat, and soon followed another. She buried her face in her knees, letting it go, and she cried. She cried for how pitiful she felt, and how alone she was.

_Meanwhile..._

Natsu had experienced much of the same thing, enveloped by fog and whisked somewhere he didn't recognize. The fog had receded, but his companions were gone. He sniffed the air, but their scents were gone as well. He had to find them, find Wendy, find Lucy. Gray, he could live without. He cupped his hands around his mouth, calling out the blonde's name, but was met with no response. He sniffed the air again, and  _there._ Vanilla and strawberries. He could follow that. He did so, and he was hit with a few dead ends, but the smell was getting stronger. He called out again. The warlock was growing more frantic. The smell was stronger here, and he could follow it to it's source. He stayed quiet as he let his senses sharpen, and his ears picked up a quiet noise. Crying.

"...Oh no."

_And back with Lucy..._

Lucy's sobs wouldn't stop. She bit her lip, trying to quell the tidal wave of tears, but another burst broke through, and her shoulders shook with the force of it. She wanted to be smaller, to go home, to be anywhere but in this cold forest. She was crying openly now, and now that she'd started she couldn't stop. Lucy wanted to be smaller, to curl up into a ball. She didn't want to walk through this forest any longer. She had enough of the dark.

Suddenly, she heard the crunch of leaves under boots, and she froze, covering her mouth to silence her cries. She searched with frantic eyes along the trees surrounding her, and finally spotted a ball of light. It was moving closer, flickering, dancing. She began to quiver, her fight or flight instincts kicking in, but suddenly, whatever was holding the light spoke.

"Lucy!"

It was Natsu. She gave a sob of relief, and called back. "Natsu! I'm here!"

The light was moving faster, and the warlock emerged from behind a patch of trees and bushes, a ball of flame resting in the palm of his hand. It lit the area better than Lucy'f lantern. The second she saw him, the floodgates opened again, and she rushed forward, burying her face into his shoulder. She began to sob loudly, her arms around the warlock's firm torso. She felt him hesitantly wrap his own arms around her quivering form.

"Luce, what's wrong?" He asked gently. Lucy had trouble answering, but she managed to choke out a few words.

"I'm alone."

Natsu's grip tightened, and his warmth enveloped her. "Not anymore. I'm not lettin' you be alone again."

The pair stood, The Warlock and the human, holding each other tight in the dark, the malicious fog bending and twisting around their feet.


	10. Separation

Lucy cried for a good ten minutes, and Natsu held her. Her sobs were slowing, and she buried her face in his shoulder. Natsu's cloak had draped around her as well when she'd rushed to him, so she was enveloped by his warmth, his smell, which was cinnamon for some reason. Her sobs came to a shuddering halt, but when she finally spoke, her voice was fragile and trembling, as if she would break if so much as nudged.

"We have to find the others." Lucy whispered.

"That'd probably be the best thing ta' do," the warlock agreed. He gently said, "We gotta start moving, Lucy."

She nodded, but didn't move away. A smile graced his lips, and he held her tight. "We need to."

"I know," the blonde murmured, "but can we stay like this a while longer?"

Natsu chuckled.

He really was very warm. Lucy felt safe with him. Like he could protect her. She hadn't felt safe around many people since her mother died. She gave a watery smile, tears prickling her eyes.

Safe.

* * *

 

Wendy had no idea where she was. One minute she was with her newfound friends, and now she was alone, in some clearing. She was accustomed to the dark, being a Shadow Elf, so visibility wasn't an issue. But her instincts told her nothing. The forced travel must have scrambled her navigational senses. Wendy needed to find her friends, though. Finding the nearest shadow, she stepped into it, and roaring in her ears and a tingling feeling washed over her as she liquefied herself into the shadow.

She popped out of shadows in different areas of the forest, calling out her friend's names. When she emerged from the next shadow, she rammed headfirst into someone else.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Wendy cried, and she looked up at who she's bumped into.

He was tall and muscular, clad in black. His shirt was decorated with rivets, and was sleeveless. The right shoulder was adorned with a plume of black feathers. His pants where white, and he was wearing black boots. On his hand were fingerless gloves, thick studded bracelets around his wrists. His right arm was adorned with scars for some reason. His face was lined with metal as well, his eyes scarlet. His most distinctive feature was his hair, which was inky black and spiky. His ears where pointed, marking him an elf. He gave her a crooked smirk, but it wasn't mean spirited.

"S'alright, shrimp. Where ya headed in such a hurry?"

Wendy smiled shyly before answering. "I'm looking for my friends. What's your name, mister? You're a Shadow Elf, like me. "

He crossed his arms across his broad chest. "I'm Gajeel. You?"

"I'm Wendy."

"Good ta' meet ya' Wendy. You lost?"

She girl nodded.

He sighed, shifting his weight to his opposite foot. "Can ya tell me what happened when ya got separated from yer friends?"

Wendy nodded again, "We were just leaving the realm of the Frost Elves when we where enveloped by fog. And I ended up here. I assume my friends also got take to various locations."

The dark haired elf scratched the back of his head. "I got nothin.' But If you want me ta' I'll help ya look."

Wendy's face brightened. "Really?! Thank you."

His smile was crooked again. "I'm lookin' for someone myself."

"Oh?" Wendy pondered, "Who?"

Gajeel averted his eyes from hers, not meeting the smaller Elf's gaze. "My woman. Her name's Levy."

Wendy gave him a kind smile. "I'll try to help you find her. But in the meantime, my friends and I are trying to get to Titania."

Gajeel scratched his chin. "Titania, eh? Why do ya wanna see the queen herself?"

Wendy looked nervously around, but there were nothing but shadows. In a low voice, she told him; "There's a human lost in the forest. A human and a warlock. The human is here on accident, I think. It's either that, or she was lured here. And I don't honestly know much about the warlock other than that he uses fire magic."

The larger elf looked surprised, his expression incredulous. "Ya can't be serious. A human? I'm not so worried 'bout the warlock, we get a few o' those every now n' then. How did this human even get here?"

Wendy looked at her boots, then back at Gajeel. "Like I said, I don't know. I only know she's here, and she needs to get out of here."

"How has she lasted this long?" Gajeel inquired.

"The warlock has been protecting her," Wendy explained, "we've run into a lot of creatures though. Ghosts, mostly, but there was a Wendigo."

"A Wendigo?" Gajeel said, his voice disbelieving. "You gotta be kiddin' me."

"The warlock killed it, "Wendy went on, "And we also ran into Kuckisake-onna. We had to run from that one."

"He killed it?" Gajeel's eyes were wide.

Wendy nodded. "Fire does kill them, after all. We're lucky he was a fire warlock."

Gajeel peered around the treeline with uncertainty. "This is bad," Gajeel looked at her suddenly, his expression serious, "We need ta get 'er outta here before it's too late."

Wendy looked at him mournfully. "I know. But how?"

Gajeel sighed heavily. "Let's find yer friends. Maybe Titania has the answers after all."

They disappeared into the shadows one after the other.

...

After what felt like an hour of searching, Wendy caught sight of someone. It was a figure, disappearing into the treeline. She could hear water rushing in the distance. This was a river, not a stream like she'd heard before. The water sounded heavier, moving with more force. Gajeel climbed out of the shadows beside her. The pair had emerged into a clearing, the starry sky painted above them. The moon was visible above the treeline, full and round.

Wendy turned to Gajeel, "I just saw someone. That way."

"Is it a river?" He asked, scratching his head.

"I think so. Let's go."

They made their way across the clearing, and across the treeline was sure enough, a river. The water was rushing, dead leaves drifting with the current. About twenty or thirty feet away was a woman. She was walking slowly, dressed all in white. She had a veil covering her dark hair. From what Wendy could see, her shoulders shook from sobs. From the waist down, her body began to fade, becoming semi-transparent.

"She's a ghost." Wendy looked up at Gajeel. She was surprised to find his face alert. He grabbed her arm.

"We gotta get outta here."

Wendy nodded in agreement. She knew that ghost. She lured children into the river, drowning them. Her name was La Llorona.


	11. Thinking About Home

It was Dark. Lucy kept her hand firmly attached to Natsu's, her eyes fearful. Her nerves were on edge, and her eyes still stung from crying. The cold stung her face.

The scenery around her was soft in the pale light, the trees coated with shadows. Lucy caught sight of a body swaying not far from them, and she tore her gaze away. It was so dark. She just wanted to go home. Home sounded wonderful right about now. She almost began crying again from how homesick she was. It clawed at her already fragile heart, and she tightened her grip on Natsu's hand. He was so comforting. With his hazel eyes and fanged grin. He gave off heat, like an open flame, his presence burning brightly as one. Lucy was beginning to adore it. And little did she know, Natsu was beginning to adore her. Her golden hair, her cinnamon eyes, and how she smelled. Like vanilla.

Lucy was fearful of what else lurked out in the dark. She didn't want to be scared anymore. She had made it this far. Besides, nobody back home would care of she died. She doubted her father would even miss her. All he talked to her about were things that pertained to the company, Heartfilia Konzern. The company she was an heiress to. The company she didn't want. Marry whoever her father wanted and give birth to a son on command. What happened if Lucy wanted a daughter? A daughter who she could style the hair of, and share clothes with when she was older? Her father wouldn't have it. He never listened to what she wanted. Her happiness was second to the success of the company. She shoved the negative thoughts from her mind.

Natsu suddenly stopped, pulling the blonde forward to face him. "You okay, Lucy? You're shaking."

Lucy blushed. She hadn't realized she had been shaking. She looked at the ground. "I'm fine... Just thinking."

He gave her a fanged grin. "watcha' thinkin' about?"

"Home."

Natsu turned, continuing to walk with her hand in his. Lucy figured that was the end of the conversation, but he suddenly asked; "What's your home like?"

"Big." Lucy said, "And... Empty."

Natsu gave a short chuckle. "Empty? You just move in or somethin'?"

Lucy shook her head, annoyance unwittingly showing on her face. "No. Not that. I think I told you, but my mother died two years ago."

Natsu nodded. "Yeah, you told me. But you've got your dad, dontcha?"

Lucy laughed bitterly. "He doesn't even know I'm there most of the time."

The warlock's voice was quiet as he asked the next question. "Why?"

"The company is all he cares about. When he does notice me, it's to tell me what he has planned. He wants me to get married to someone rich, give birth to a baby boy because the Heartfilia family needs an heir."

Natsu's voice was incredulous. "You're a Heartfilia?"

Lucy sighed heavily. "Yes. Regrettably."

"Well, that means your loaded. Why are you unhappy?"

"Because I don't want the company." Lucy snapped, annoyance flaring, "Money can't buy you happiness. I should know. I've spent eighteen years in that house, and I was happy before mom died... after she got sick. She was bedridden for years. But dad... Dad stopped caring. Those years of isolation from any form of love other than the love from my servants has taught me that lesson."

"Oh," Natsu said sheepishly, "Sorry, I didn't know-"

"It's okay," Lucy sighed, "But I want more than a big house, pretty clothes, and lots of money. I want to live my life, without the support of daddy's money. It's suffocating. Privileges because of something as silly as my last name."

Natsu was thoughtful, "What kinda respect do ya want?"

"I want respect for other reasons. For doing good. Helping people. For two years, I couldn't breathe. When I left that house, however many days or hours ago it was, I felt free. Even as a little kid, I never wanted to run a company, but I'd do it as long as mom was there to support me. But when she died..." Lucy trailed off, "...everything shattered."

"It was sorta like that when I lost my dad," Natsu started, and he cut himself off, "adoptive father, but you get the picture. I looked for him everywhere, but he was just.. gone."

Lucy smiled sadly, "Believe me, I know the feeling. They're there one minute, and the next... gone."

"So, carry on. Your dad." Natsu said, squeezing her hand.

Lucy nodded. "He wants me to get married to someone of his choosing. This man expressed his interest in me when we were young. My dad thinks it's a good idea because it will give us access to land to the east. But I don't want to marry this man. My father is arranging it... If I have a fiancé when I get home, I'm running and never looking back. He can try, but he can never make me marry this man."

Natsu's voice was soft, but there was a dangerous edge to it. "Who is this man?"

"Duke Sawarr Junelle," Lucy said quietly, "He's my betrothed, I guess you could say."

The warlock's voice was heavier when he spoke, "You're betrothed?"

Lucy laughed bitterly. "Not if I have any say in it. I want to marry for love, not something silly and expendable like money," Lucy lifted her skirt to keep it from snagging on a rock underfoot, "and I do not love the Duke."

"When's the wedding?" Natsu asked, his expression unreadable.

"Hell if I care." Lucy said venomously. "I'll be a walking cliché is my father does decide to go through with the wedding arrangements. I'll be the runaway bride."

"So who will you marry?" The warlock's voice was gentler this time.

"I will marry someone I love or I will not marry at all."

"That's a good philosophy, I think." Natsu gave her a warm smile. Lucy smiled back, softer. "What else has your father done?"

Lucy bit her lip, careful not to run into any rocks. She carefully avoided a hole, stepping closer to Natsu. She finally answered, her eyes raised as she recounted the memory.

"One time, when I was younger, back when mom started getting sick, I told the cook I wanted to make my dad something to eat. It was my birthday. So the cook helped me make a rice ball. I put strips of seaweed on it, to make a face," Lucy smiled sadly, "But when I gave it to my dad, he told me that he was busy and to leave him alone. I put the rice ball on his desk so he could eat it later, but he..."

Lucy bit her lip as she recounted the painful memory, then continued. "He said, 'Lucy! I'm busy! I don't want your silly rice ball! If I wanted food, I'd call the cook! Get out!' I tried to protest, 'daddy, daddy, it's my birthday,' but he just kept yelling."

"That's... Awful." Natsu said, his eyes soft.

Lucy nodded, not looking at him, "When mom started getting sick, he started drifting away. It was like he stopped loving me all together."

"Lucy,"Natsu said, and she looked up. "If you wanna live somewhere else, you can live with me. I live in Magnolia, on a hill. Not much, but it's nice enough."

Tears gathered in the corners of Lucy's eyes. "You'd... do that for me?"

Natsu grinned toothily. "Of course! You're my friend, aren't cha?"

The blonde smiled. "Yeah. I'm your friend. I like that. But if I leave, I... I can't just leave without saying goodbye. He's still my father. When we get out of here, I want to go to the house and say my final goodbyes."

Natsu nodded. "That's understandable. If I could have said goodbye to Igneel, I would have taken the chance."

"I want you to come with me." Lucy said quietly, "It would be nice to have someone there with me."

"I'll be right there." Natsu said gently.

"Thank you." Lucy said. And she truly meant it.


	12. Lost Friends

Wendy was worried.

She was afraid for her friends, and for herself. Gajeel was somewhat a comforting presence, but he was also quite menacing. Strangely enough, she could sometimes hear him humming jazz tunes. He was not talkative unless spoken to, and when he did speak, he made crass and sardonic remarks. He also would occasionally talk about Levy, (probably) his girlfriend or wife. He talked about how much he missed her, how much he loved her, and how much he wanted to find her.

Wendy looked up at the male elf, her thin eyebrows knitted together. "Where is Levy? Do you know?"

Gajeel's face was unreadable. "If I knew where she was, I woulda gotten her already."

"What happened though?" Wendy rephrased, "What were the circumstances of her disappearance?"

He scowled at her. "Why'dya wanna know?"

Wendy put up her hands, defensive. "I want to try and help," Wendy started, sighing, "I'm looking for my friend, too."

Gajeel's expression was disbelieving, and he hesitated before continuing the conversation. "Ya... are?"

Wendy nodded. "Her name is Carla. She's a fairy. A cat. I don't know where she is, but I'm looking."

The raven haired man's face was more trusting now, and he sighed, his broad shoulders sagging. "One day, I came back from huntin', and she was gone. Vanished. The book she was reading was still open, as if she'd come back. I figured she'd just left to get some water or somethin' but I waited for hours, and my tiny woman was nowhere to be seen."

Wendy nodded, "My story is similar. Carla flew off to get some berries from a tree, and I waited on a stump. We'd gone on a walk from our home. She didn't come back."

Gajeel tried to connect the dots in his head. "Do ya think the same thing happened to 'em both?"

Wendy was thoughtful, and she scratched her head. "I think it's possible. But there isn't any way to know for sure. When we find my friends, you can come with us. We're going to see Titania. I have a feeling she'll be able to help us."

Her companion sighed, defeated. "It's worth a shot."

Wendy whirled around at a sudden rustle in the bushes. "Did you hear that?"

Gajeel paused, peering around. "Yeah. What do ya think it was?"

"I don't know," Wendy tried her best to locate the source of the noise, "Who's there?"

"Wendy?"

A voice came from behind a tree, and Gray emerged. Relief washed over his handsome face. "Oh thank the gods I found you. I've been lost for what's felt like an eternity. You seen Natsu or Lucy?"

"Gray!" Wendy cried, and she rushed forward wrapping her thin arms around the Ice Elf and he flinched back before patting her awkwardly on the head. "I was so worried!"

The Shadow Elf pulled away, her face dusted pink. "No, we haven't seen hide or hair of either of them," Wendy gestured to Gajeel, who stood beside her. "This is Gajeel. He's a Shadow Elf like me, and he's looking for a lost companion. Maybe we can help him."

Gajeel raised his hand in greeting, giving Gray a toothy half smile.

"Hello, then. I'm Gray. Who are you looking for, might I ask?" Gray cocked his head expectantly, crossing his arms across his lean chest.

"My woman. Levy's her name. She disappeared, and I'm gonna find 'er." Gajeel's smile returned, and he gave a short chuckle.

"That's a positive outlook. Wendy and I will try our best to help you. It seems we're all looking for someone." Gray looked at Wendy, and they shared a nod.

"Yeah, shrimpy here told me yer lookin' for yer friends. She said there's a human with ya."

"Yes." Gray sighed, "Her name is Lucy, if Wendy didn't tell you. I don't know why she came in here, but her presence is stirring something. Something bad. The spirits are restless, and on my way to fond you guys, I thought I saw a Wendigo."

Gajeel's eyes were wide, and Wendy looked fearful. "A wendigo?"

Gray nodded, "Yeah. That, or a Skinwalker. Maybe a Goatman. Let's hope it was just a malformed deer, but it smelled something horrible. Why're you so surprised? I see Wendigos all the time over in the Ice Realm."

"They're rarer out here. But Natsu killed a Wendigo not too long ago. More than one of them in the Shadow Realm is a really bad sign." Wendy cast her dark eyes downward, and Gajeel grunted in agreement, but his expression was also grim.

"Let's hope it didn't follow ya." Gajeel said, his voice unsure.

"Yeah, I'd prefer it didn't." The Ice Elf scratched his head nervously, "Unless either of you guys had fire on hand, we'd be screwed."

"We were just lucky Natsu was there when we saw the first one." Wendy said, "Fire is the only thing that kills them."

Gray sighed, his expression serious. "We have to find them. Fast."

Wendy held up a small hand, "We need to get to Titania. I've been saying over and over, she can help. She can help me find Carla..."

Gray rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Yeah, I suppose Titania is worth a shot. But do you know for certain she'll help us?"

Wendy's expression was pained. "She has to. I need to find Carla."

"And I gotta find Levy. I ain't lettin' anything stop me from finding 'er." Gajeel added.

Gray looked reluctant. "Then I know someone who can help us."

"Who?" Wendy asked, "Are they near?"

"Wherever there's water, there's Juvia. Do either of you know where the nearest river stream is?"

Gajeel nodded. "Yeah, girly and I passed a river a while back. Do ya wanna go back to it? We can take ya there." The raven haired man furrowed his brow, or what Gray assumed was his brow, seeing as all he had in place of eyebrows were metal studs. "D'ya even know how ta' contact this person?"

Gray twisted his mouth into a wry smile, "More or less."


	13. Searching

The stream glittered in the everpresent moonlight, and Gray knelt down beside the water. Almost on cue, before he could even utter the first syllable of the Water Nymph's name, she had emerged, her torso emerging from the water. Her legs were not visible. She rested her chin on her folded hands on the river bank, smiling at the Ice Elf lovingly.

Her voice was full of unsuppressed joy as she spoke. "Oh my love! You have come to visit me!"

Gray's mouth twitched, but his expression was warm. "We need your help, Juvia."

The Nymph pulled herself the rest of the way from the river, her liquid-like clothing glazing over with spirals of frost. She was practically glowing with joy, and her sapphire eyes were hopeful as she caressed her beloved's cheek. "Anything for my darling Gray."

Gray sighed, slipping his hands into the front pockets of his trousers. "You have access to all waterways in the forest, right?"

"Yes, darling. I make my home wherever the river flows." Juvia's smile was serene.

"Great. Well, do you know the fastest way to get to the dwelling of Titania? We sorta need to get there fast."

Juvia was thoughtful, and she laced her hands together, swaying as she thought. "I know water ways that go quite close, but no direct path. I am truly sorry."

Gray shrugged. "Good enough for me. And also, can you do me another favor?"

Juvia's eyes lit up. "Of course, my love!"

"The three of us are looking for some people. We got separated, and we need to find them. It would be really great of you if you could keep watch along the riverbanks for them," Gray explained, "One of them is a warlock. He's muscular, wearing a black cloak, and has pink hair. The other one is a girl. She's blonde, and also wearing a black cloak. It has silver designs on it. They'll probably be holding hands or something."

Juvia cocked her head, her eyes dangerous. "Love rival?"

The elf rolled his eyes. "No, Juvia. Lucy's seems nice, but she's not really my type. Plus, I'm pretty sure the flame brain she's with would burn me to a crisp if I even thought of making moves on her, not that I'd try. And she's human. I'm an Elf. It wouldn't work all that well."

Juvia looked relieved, and she tenderly hugged the Ice Elf. "Gray... My darling Gray."

Gray ignored her, but put a hand on her shoulder. "Look, can you find 'em or not?"

Juvia broke the hug, taking in a breath of air. "I can try, my love. Do you have any idea where they may be?"

"I haven't the foggiest." Gray said, chuckling to himself at the irony.

Juvia sighed. "I can try my hardest to look for them, but it will take longer if I do not know their basic location. I can guide you and your friends the nearest I can to Titania for certain, though. Which do you wish for me to do first?"

"I think it's best to find Natsu and Lucy first before we make any trips to see the queen." Gray replied.

Wendy bounced on her heels. "This is great! Thanks to you, we'll get to the queen much faster! Thank you so much!"

Juvia smiled shyly, her cheeks tinting.

"Well," Gray said impatiently, "Go fine 'em. We don't have much time to waste."

Juvia raised her arm in an exaggerated salute, and dove headfirst into the water.

Gray sighed, sitting down on a nearby fallen log. He gave the two Shadow Elves a sideways glance before gesturing for them to sit beside him.

"Sit. This'll be a while."

* * *

Juvia rushed through the river as fast as she could, popping up ever so often to check for the people she was searching for. She dove back under the water, finding a current and swerving into it. She popped up again. Nothing but a deer, bedded down in some underbrush. It had stubby antlers on its head, growing in for the winter. While Juvia loved nature, and she would usually stay and admire the creature, she was on a mission for her beloved. She dove under the water again noiselessly, and in her hurry, she rammed headfirst into a river trout. It burbled at her indignantly before rocketing off over her shoulder.

The Water Nymph darted along, and paused when she felt the current pick up. She pulled her upper half onto a rock, trying to find the source. Oh. Rapids. Waterfalls. No problem. Juvia rushed forward, bending her body into a streamline position as she was swept down the waterfall, careful not to move so she wouldn't get flung from the current and crash into the water below flat on her back. It wouldn't hurt her, but the sensation of getting flung out of the water and forcibly slammed back into it was something Juvia wasn't exactly fond of.

She curved her body, allowing herself to reenter the river, the water now calmer. She bobbed up again, peering around the river bank. No one. This was getting frustrating. And if they were past the waterfall, she'd have to find anther way to get them to her beloved. Traveling up a waterfall was easier said than done, let alone with people following her. She looked to her left where the waterfall took it's steep drop, and sure enough, the cliff the water tumbled from was smooth and flat. A few ledges riddled the surface, but there was no way a normal human could climb up without the proper tools. This would be interesting.

It took her a moment to realize she was in a lake. Thew water was crystal clear, and Juvia could see fish darting through the reeds at the bottom, which was lined with smooth stones. The water itself seemed to glow. Juvia searched around for a way out, and found that the river continued on the opposite side, though the opening was small. She could see that it widened again, though. Not far from her was a woman, lounging on a rock. She had long blue hair and deep blue eyes. Juvia would have assumed she was another Nymph if she didn't have a tail. A fish tail. This woman was a mermaid.

Her tail was long and blue with glistening scales. It had three circular gold piercings on either side, placed just below her belt, which was also gold in color. Underneath the belt was a frill of light blue fabric that shimmered. The fin at the end of her tail was the same color. Two thick gold bracelets were around her wrists, and they were coupled with two thick gold bands which she wore higher on her arms, which were engraved with intricate swirling designs. She was quite ample in the chest area, and her top was deep blue with white trim. It made a deep plunge in the middle. Around her neck was a thick blue collar. Her face was stern, and her eyes were sharp, eyebrows pointed down in a scowl. She had two blue crystals hanging from her ears. On her head a was a circlet, made of gold for the most part, but it was beaded in the front with sliver. The silver beads were attached to a small triangular silver plate, which a glimmering purple droplet hung from.

Juvia swam over, approaching the mermaid. Maybe she'd be able to help.

"Excuse me," Juvia started and the Mermaid turned her gaze to the Nymph.

"Yeah, what?" The Mermaid's voice was unkind and sharp. She flicked her tale, which was half submerged in the water aloofly.

"I'm looking for someone," Juvia said, "A boy and a girl."

The mermaid scoffed. "What's it to me? Get lost, Nymph."

Juvia's expression drooped, "Oh, please help me. My beloved will be angry if I cannot find them."

Her eyes seemed to soften. "Your beloved? You have a boyfriend?"

Juvia's face turned deep pink. "It's... It's complicated. I love him ever so much, but he seems to ignore me."

The mermaid's face grew sympathetic. "That's rough. I'm sorry. I have a boyfriend, too. He doesn't visit me as often as I like, though. What's your name?"

"Juvia."

"I'm Aquarius." The mermaid said, and Juvia thought this was quite the fitting name for a mermaid. "Who were you looking for again? I'll try to help."

"I'm looking for a boy and a girl. My beloved said that one of them is a blonde girl, and the other is a man with pink hair. They're walking together. He also told me that they're both wearing black cloaks."

Aquarius thought for a moment. "That sounds like some people I caught a glance of. I think they went that way."

The mermaid lifted her hand, pointing down where the river reopened.

Juvia smiled at her gratefully. "Oh, thank you. I will go now."

"Please don't be like my boyfriend. Stop in any time if you want to talk." Aquarius's expression was hopeful.

"I will." And Juvia darted off.


	14. Reunion

After what seemed like an eternity of diving and emerging, but in reality not to far from Aquarius's lake, Juvia heard voices. The low voice of a man, and the higher voice of a woman. Where were they coming from? Juvia pulled her body onto the river bank, and stood. She cupped her hands around her mouth, trying her hardest to remember the names of the people her beloved had told her about. Oh, right. Lucy and Natsu.

"Lucy! Natsu!"

The voices halted, and hushed whispering began. The male voice called out, his tone sharp.

"Who's there?"

"I am Juvia. Gray sent me."

Footsteps began to come towards the banks of the river, twigs crunching underfoot. A bit to her right, two people emerged. One was a woman. She was wearing a black cloak, intricate silver designs on it, and what seemed to be a red cloak layered underneath. Fur lined the edges of the black cloak. It was held together with a clip shaped like a crescent moon. She had blonde hair, long and loose, a bunch of it tied on the side of her head with a red velvet ribbon. Her skin was fair and pale, and she had large velvet brown eyes. Her expression was fragile, but her eyes defiant. There was a fire in them. The hem of a red skirt was peeking out from below the cloaks, and on her feet were lace up brown leather boots. She was clutching a lantern in her hand, and the flame within shook gently.

The man had sharp features, his pupils slits. He was handsome enough, but not anywhere near as handsome as Juvia's beloved. His hair was pink and spiky, hanging in tufts around his face. His skin was tanned ever so slightly. He, too wore a black cloak, but it bore no design. It was tattered, and he did not wear it close around his body but back around his shoulders. Around his neck was a white scarf, seemingly made of scales. He was wearing a one sleeved, open collared overcoat, which only had one sleeve on the left side. A brown leather arm band was around his upper left arm. His right arm was completely bare, save for the black band around his wrist, and the strange mark on his exposed shoulder. His pants were white, tied at the bottoms with strips of black cloth, and despite the weather, he wore sandals. His hand was intertwined with the woman's.

"Gray?" He said, "You found him? Were there others with him?"

Juvia nodded. "Yes, there were two Shadow Elves with him."

"Hey," the blonde woman piped up, "Did we see you somewhere before? I think it was when we were leaving the Realm of the Ice Elves."

Juvia nodded. "Yes. I believe so. Are you two Natsu and Lucy?"

The blonde, presumably Lucy, nodded.

"Wait, hold on a sec," Natsu said, his expression puzzled, "Two Shadow Elves? I was sure we only had one."

"No," Juvia said, "There was a second. He was male."

"Can you bring us to him?" Lucy asked.

"Yes, I can guide you along the river. Follow me." Juvia dove into the water, allowing her shoulders and head to stay above the surface. She began to swim at a moderate pace, and only stopped when they reached the lake. Aquarius hadn't moved, and her face softened when she saw Juvia.

"Back so soon?" The mermaid flicked her tail in the water.

"Aquarius, have you any way to get us up the waterfall?" Juvia gestured to her companions. Aquarius studied them, and she narrowed her eyes at Lucy.

"A human? You can't be serious." Her tone was scornful.

A flare of annoyance shot through Lucy, "What's wrong with humans?"

"Everything," the mermaid groaned, "They talk too much, and they're so nosey."

Juvia put a hand up. "Aquarius, please. It is a favor for my love."

"Well," Aquarius sighed, "When you put it like that, it's hard for me to say no."

The mermaid raised a hand, and the lake began to churn. Thick flat rocks emerged from the clear water, forming a path along the water's surface. They pushed through the waterfall as well, forming stairs. Lucy gazed in wonder, and Aquarius glared. "Go human, before I change my mind."

Lucy placed a foot gingerly on one of the stones, and it held firm, as if set in concrete. It held her weight fully, and she slowly but surely made her way across. Natsu followed her. The waterfall was the tricky part. She made her way to the top of the waterfall, and looking down made her dizzy. When she was safely back on the riverbank, she sunk to her knees, panting. Natsu made his way next to her, and he put a hand on her shoulder. Lucy stood, and Natsu reclaimed her smaller hand in his larger one. After a few moments, Juvia emerged in the water beside them, her face flushed.

"What's wrong?" Lucy asked curiously.

The Nymph took a moment before answering. "Swimming up waterfalls is easier said than done."

Lucy couldn't imagine it being easy.

* * *

It felt like they'd been walking for ages. Lucy's ankles hurt, and Juvia's occasional "It won't be long now" wasn't helpful in the slightest.

But it proved to be worth it when the Nymph led them to a moonlit clearing, and the trees parted to reveal Gray and Wendy sitting on a fallen log. Beside Wendy was a mountain of a man, and Lucy recognized him from when she first entered the forest. The metal-studded man who disappeared into the shadows.

"Hey!" Natsu called, "Guys!"

Wendy perked up, springing to her feet. "Lucy! Natsu! Thank the heavens you're safe." The Shadow Elf rushed forward, wrapping her arms around the blonde, who held the smaller girl close. She hugged Natsu as well, her face glowing.

The man who had been sitting beside Wendy rose to his feet. "These your friends, girl?"

Wendy nodded. "Yeah, this is Lucy and this is Natsu."

Gajeel gave them a fanged half smile, but it had kindness. Lucy waved hesitantly.

Wendy turned back to her friends, gesturing to the man with a small hand. "This is Gajeel. He's coming to Titania with us."

"Why's that?" Natsu asked.

"He's looking for someone, and he hopes Titania can help him find her." Wendy smiled sadly. "I have someone I'm looking for, too."

"Why didn't you tell us?" The blonde inquired.

"It never came up." Wendy answered, "Her name is Carla. She's a fairy."

"I see." Lucy said, and she turned to Gray, who had appeared beside Gajeel without her noticing. "When do we leave?"

"Now, if you guys want." The Ice Elf turned to Juvia, who smiled. "How long is the walk there?"

Lucy's expression soured. "Walk? is there any faster way to get there?"

"Afraid not," Juvia said.

Gajeel sighed. "We better start walkin'. I wanna see Levy as soon as possible."


	15. Titania

The walk to Titania's dwelling was long, and Lucy wasn't sure how much more her aching feet could take before they fell off entirely. Juvia, Gajeel and Wendy made idle conversation, ornamented by Gray's occasional sarcastic quip. Natsu's bellowing laughter was also thrown here and there, and the whole situation gave Lucy a warm feeling. The occasional ghost flitted through the trees, and Lucy saw quite a few hanging bodies.

It wasn't long before Juvia stopped. She turned to the group, and gestured to the path that was perpendicular from the water. "This is as far as I go. Keep going strait from here, and Titania's dwelling is not far."

Gray knelt beside the river, and he smiled. "Thanks for all your help, Juvia. I owe you one."

Juvia's face grew as red as a tomato, and she grinned. "Oh, my love I would do anything for you."

The Nymph pulled herself onto the bank, straightening her arms so her face was close to Gray's. She gave him a tiny peck on the lips, and with a smile and a wave, she melted into the water.

The Ice Elf stood, and his face was dusted pink despite himself, his lips tingling.

* * *

The path was far more clear now, and it seemed like someone was keeping it like that. The twigs were swept away, leaving a path clear. The farther they progressed, the more pronounced the bath became. Lucy began to be able to see light, soft and golden, peeking beyond the gnarled tree branches.

They emerged into a clearing, and what was in it was an enormous tree. Around the tree was a glittering pool, almost like a moat, smooth white stones glistening beneath the clear surface. But it wasn't connected to the river. It was just there. The water was so still it seemed like glass. The tree was massive, so thick that everyone in the group could stand side by side with their arms outstretched, fingertips touching, and it wouldn't be nearly enough to go around the entire thing. Standing near it, even if it wasn't exactly next to it made Lucy feel tiny. Trying to look up at the leaves made her dizzy from how far she had to crane her neck. A staircase was carved along the trunk, and there was a guardrail also made of wood so that falling was not an option. The tree was incredibly tall, and along the perfectly circular clearing, which stretched very far, were intricately carved posts which were topped with fire. When the wind blew, the flames did not wave or flicker, it just stayed stationary, burning brightly. An equal distance from one another, Lucy could see paths into the clearing from the forest.

The stairway along the tree trunk had holes carved into them from which light flickered. It lit the staircase.

Directly in front of them was a wooden bridge, and an intricately carved silver handrail was present to keep whoever walked across it from falling in. Lucy could see bridges identical to the one in front of her in front of the other pathways into the vast clearing.

"Is... Is this it?" Lucy breathed, transfixed by the sight before her.

"Yes," Wendy said, "this is the dwelling of Titania."

On shaky legs, they progressed, no one speaking. The foot of the stairs was in front of them as well, and Lucy could see why Juvia had chosen this path over the other three. It led to the stairs. If she and the others had taken any of the other paths, the entrance would be harder to get to.

The flight of stairs rose for what felt like eternity, and Lucy's already aching legs began to ache more. She just wanted somewhere warm to lay down and rest.

When they finally reached the top, it was bitterly cold, the icy wind stinging Lucy's face. The stairs led to a ledge, which was surrounded by a silver rail. Leaves wove their way around, hanging just above them in a canopy. A pair of great silver doors stood embedded in the wood, intricately carved. A a pair of silver swords with pair of wings behind them were engraved there. Lucy was afraid to look down past the guardrail, though it was several yards away from her. Lamps rested along the rail, fire blazing inside.

"Do we knock?" Wendy said, her voice quiet.

"'S worth a shot." Natsu said, and he stepped forward, raising a fist. But before it could make contact, the door swung open on its own. Natsu blinked in surprise as he lowered his fist, pushing the door open with a heave.

"Woah." The Warlock said, his voice catching. The hall before them was wide, with a very high ceiling. As Lucy looked up, it seemed like stars glittered at the top. The floor was carpeted with rich red, and Lucy realized how long it had been since she'd been indoors. It was warm in here. She lowered her hood, and she saw her comrades doing the same. On the walls hung detailed paintings of fields, feasts, and strongly enough, a slice of strawberry cake. The party began to walk, and at the end of the hall was another pair of double doors. Natsu heaved them open with Gajeel's help, and they entered a throne room.

The room widened, and the carpet remained, and they followed it. At the top of a gentle slope (stairs led up to it, the carpet covering them), was a woman.

She sat in a silver throne, and beside her was an identical throne, presumably for the king. It was empty. Her hair was a deep, rich red, almost so red it was unnatural. It was long, going well past her shoulders. It reminded Lucy of strawberries, apples, red velvet. Not the fiery orange that was usually associated with red hair. Her eyes were sharp and brown, her bangs covering her right eye. A silver circlet rested on her head, curls of silver reaching to grip a vibrant blue gem. A droplet of silver hung from the gem. She was dressed in a slivery gown which was clenched at the waist with an intricately carved silver belt, also set with a blue gem in the center. The cloth gathered at the neck, held up by a silver band set low, so it showed a glimpse of her collarbone. It was like gathered moonlight. Around her shoulders was cloak of shimmering silver fabric, and almost metallic feathers decorated the cloak's cloth around her shoulders. It was clipped with a blue gem. She had sheer silvery gloves on her hands, a silver ring on the ring finger of her left hand. It had a dull blue gem set into it. She had a pair of earrings as well, also silver, with diamond shaped pendants. A silver sword with a wing-like design at the hilt leaned against the throne. The woman radiated power and beauty. But when she gazed upon Lucy and her friends, her eyes were kind. She smiled.

Wendy was the first to speak. "Are you... Are you Titania? Titania Erza?"

"Yes," The woman called Erza said, and she rose, her gown shimmering as she did, "What brings you here, Shadow Elf?"

"We need help," Wendy started, "Finding lost friends... and a way out."

Titania sighed. "Very well. Tell me one at a time. You first. But tell me your names."

"I'm Wendy. I'm looking for a fairy cat named Carla. She's white, and she has brown eyes."

Gajeel stepped forward, "I'm Gajeel. I'm lookin' for my wife, Levy. She's been missin.' She disappeared kinda like the girl's kitty cat did."

"I see. You?" She directed her gaze at Gray.

"I'm Gray, but I'm not here for anything. I just came along so I could help."

The scarlet haired woman nodded in assent, turning to Natsu and Lucy. "And you two?"

"I'm Natsu. I wanna get home." Natsu said. He gave the queen a fanged grin.

"And I'm Lucy. I also need to go home." Her smile was smaller, and certainly less toothy. Erza smiled warmly.

"Very well. I will try my best to help. But in the meantime, you all must be tired. My home is yours if you need somewhere to rest your weary bones."

Wendy's face lit up, and she bounced on her heels. "Oh, thank you, your Majesty."

"Do you have a husband? The king's throne is open." Gray asked, gesturing to said empty throne.

Titania smiled fondly. "Yes, his name is Jellal. My husband is probably in the library. It's his favorite place to be. Come, I will give you somewhere to sleep."

The group followed. Lucy really did need to sleep, and she felt the weariness from their travels sink into her bones. And a nice soak in the bath didn't deem like such a bad idea, either.

Titania summoned a girl, who had short pink hair and blue eyes. Her outfit consisted of a maid's uniform. Titania smiled at her, and gestured to her with an arm. "This is Virgo. She will take you to your rooms. I will take my leave. I should probably find my husband."

With a sweep of her silver cloak, Titania left the hall.

Virgo smiled pleasantly, bowing. "Follow me."


	16. Bathtime

Lucy was led by Virgo to a pair of double doors, also silver, but much smaller than the ones in the entrance hall. They had brambles carved into their shiny surfaces, roses entangled within them. Virgo stopped, bowing again, and gesturing with a polite smile to the room.

"Here we are, mistress. Your room is beyond these doors."

Lucy looked at her boots. "Please don't call me that. It makes you sound like my servants at home."

Virgo cocked her head, her polite smile not leaving her face. "Do you wish for me to call you something else? How about princess?"

Lucy could work with that. She told this to the pink haired maid, who nodded with a smile. "Princess it is."

As if to solidify the new title, Virgo pushed open the doors, gesturing inside. "Right this way, Princess."

Lucy's room was wide and spacious, with a high ceiling and shiny dark wooden floor. A silver chandelier, unlit, hung from the ceiling. On the far side of the room were ceiling to floor windows with silver panes. The glass was without a spot, and Lucy had no doubt that Virgo had cleaned it herself. A view of the full moon and the countless trees far below was visible through the windows. Underneath the windows were plush red window seats, draped in cushy-looking pillows and plush blankets. Shimmering slivery curtains were pulled away from the glass, tied back with black ribbon. Moonlight spilled into the room through them. A fireplace in the left wall housed a crackling fire, which sent tongues of light across the room. A large red love seat was stationed in front of it, and on a table beside it was a platter full of fresh fruit and what looked like steak. It smelled divine, even from the door. Lucy's mouth watered, and her very empty stomach growled. Underneath the love seat was a plush royal blue rug, silvery tassels decorating the edges. It was intricately woven with silver thread, forming extravagant patterns.

The bed was off in the corner, a fourposter with two night tables on either side, deep mahogany. The comforter was a rosy pink, and enough pillows were piled onto it that Lucy could probably have hidden under all of them and not be found if she did not move at all. The canopy was the same shade as the duvet, and was decorated with silver tassels, much like the rug. Not far from the bed was a vanity, dark wood, lined with various cosmetics and skin creams. A hairbrush lay waiting on the stool. A closet was between the vanity and the bed, slightly ajar. On the opposite side of the vanity was another door, this one also ajar, light spilling from the interior. And to top it all off, on the wall beside the fireplace was a bookshelf stuffed with countless volumes. A ladder rested beside it to allow easier access to the higher books.

"Everything in this room is here for your convenience, Princess. Please, make yourself at home." Virgo snapped Lucy out of her trance, and the blonde turned. Virgo walked further into the room. "The books are all available for you to read, and you have access to any of the gowns in the closet."

She gestured to the door between the bed and the vanity. "And the bath is available if you wish. The cooks have also prepared a meal for you."

Lucy nodded mutely, her eyes falling on the platter. Virgo laughed good-naturedly. "I will leave you to your own devices, now. Ring this bell if you need me."

From a pocket in her apron Lucy hadn't seen before, Virgo produced a small silver bell, placing it noiselessly beside the platter of food. She exited the room with a bow.

Lucy shed her cloaks, draping them over the love seat in front of the fire, leaving her in a white peasant top, brown leather waist clincher, and red skirt. She sat down, sighing in relief at the cushiness of her perch, and unlaced her boots. Her feet ached, and she was relieved to find no blisters, surprisingly. The food smelled even better up close, and she picked up the fork and knife that had been lain beside it, cutting into the steak. The first bite was heaven. Real food was something she hadn't had since she'd entered the forest. She devoured the meat in minutes, and the fruit was close behind when she finished. With a full stomach, she drank the water that was in a goblet beside the platter.

A bath was what she needed, and that was a fact. Leaving the cleaned plate, she made her way to what Virgo had told her was the bathroom and opened the door. The room was also large, abet smaller than the bedroom itself. A bath was against the far wall, a large circular tub with stone stairs leading to the lip. The faucet was silver, like a lot of other things in the palace. A chandelier hung above the tub, the candles lit. A vanity was pushed against the left wall, towels folded on the end. Bottles of expensive looking shampoos and conditioners, as well as body washes in crystal bottles glittered. A door not far from the vanity stood open, a toilet visible. A sink, sunk into a marble countertop stood parallel from the toilet, a mirror hanging above it.

Lucy made a b-line for the tub. She unlaced her waist clincher, setting it on the counter beside the sink. Her blouse next, then her skirt, She folded them, placing them with the other garment. She removed her undergarments, and looked down, appalled at the amount of grime that coated her skin. She definitely needed that bath. With purpose, she grabbed the various products from the vanity.

It took a moment or two of tinkering and twisting the taps, but eventually, hot water replaced the cold water, and she sunk into the water. She almost moaned aloud at the feeling of the water lapping at her chilled skin, allowing it to warm her. Lucy reached down beside the tub to grab a bottle of shampoo, which she poured into her hand. It smelled like lavender. She scrubbed the foam into her golden tresses, washing it away under the stream of water coming from the faucet. She repeated several times until the grimy feeling was gone, and then she slathered in some conditioner.

The hot water really did feel amazing, and the scent of lavender surrounding her really heightened the bliss. She leaned back, letting her hair fan out in the water, letting the thrum of the water soothe her. She closed her eyes.

Lucy could almost imagine herself at home, soaking in the tub in the mansion. But she was here, away from all the stress that came with the sprawling house. She was in a tub fit for a queen, in a forest where she was completely and utterly lost. She sank deeper into the water. Lucy was so tired all she wanted was to sleep.

Lucy stayed in the bath for a better part of an hour, and when she got out, the tips of her fingers and toes were pale and wrinkled. She wrapped one of the fluffy towels around herself, and stepped into the bedroom after draining the bath. Her damp hair still held the scent of lavender. On the bad lay a silken white nightgown, embroidered generously with yet more silver in patterns at the neckline, sleeves, and hem. It had a deep v-shaped plunging neckline, the sleeved belled. Lucy lifted it, and her face tinged pink when she realized it was ever so slightly see-through. She slid the cloth over her head, and it reached her mid-shin. It was soft, and Lucy reveled in the flowing fabric.

After removing most of the mountain of pillows from the bed, Lucy crawled in, holding one of the smaller, circular pillows to her amble chest. The duvet was warm, the sheets also silken.

Needless to say, Lucy was asleep in minutes, but her sleep would be far from peaceful.


	17. A Warning

Wherever Lucy was, she was cold. She opened her eyes, met with nothing but complete darkness. A distant rumbling sounded in the distance, and she could feel the vibrations caused by it under her fingertips. But where was she? Nothing was there. But... what was that? A light? Yes, it was, a pinprick of light, getting bigger and bigger. Lucy heaved herself to her feet, and she realized she was still wearing the nightgown she'd put on when she went to bed. Lucy began to run towards the light, and the rate at which it got bigger was increasing at a much faster rate. She began to be able to hear voices. A woman crying, and a man shouting. The light was still not very big when she reached it, no bigger than a full body mirror, ovular in shape. Through it, she could see a woman.

The woman was very petite with fluffy pastel blue hair. It just kissed her shoulders, two locks hanging in front past her shoulders. A tattered black ribbon held her hair away from her face. Her eyes were wide and brown, her expression defiant. Her face was tearstained, and her ears were pointed, marking her as an elf. Silvery tendrils similar to those present on Wendy's face were present on hers. Lucy knew enough about the strange forest now that she was able to deduce that she was a Shadow Elf. She was dressed in a tattered white dress, stained with grime. Her legs had scratches and bruises across her otherwise porcelain skin. Her thin arms were bound behind her back, shackled with chains, keeping her attached to the wall behind her.

"...He will find me..." Her voice came softly, choked with anger, but whoever she was addressing cut off abruptly by the rumbling in the distance.

A man's malicious laughter interrupted the woman, her lips suddenly ceasing their movement. Her face twisted in fear. Lucy stepped closer, trying her hardest to listen closer. The woman's voice was clearer.

"You won't succeed with this. Titania won't let you."

"Oh, my dear Shadow Elf, but I will. With the human in the forest, my plan will finally succeed." The male's voice was cold and deep, and it made Lucy's blood turn to ice, scraping against her mind. She shivered involuntarily.

"You'll never get to her." Said another female voice, and Lucy noticed a white cat. She had brown eyes, and her snowy fur was stained with grime, much like the dress on the bluenette beside her. She was clad in a small black dress, the hem torn. Unlike the elf, she had a metal collar around her neck, keeping her tethered to the wall behind her.

A pale hand came into view, stroking the fur between the cat's ears. She snapped at it in retaliation, growling low in her throat. "I will if you tell me where she is, Carla."

The cat called Carla closed her eyes and shook her head, her posture defiant. "Never. I would never let someone get hurt by your hand, you monster."

"Mind who you're speaking to, or you'll go another two days without food." The voice threatened, it's tone dangerous. The cat's eyes filed with fear and contempt. She seemed to look directly at Lucy, and the blonde jumped back in surprise. But as soon as it happened, the cat's eyes were focused elsewhere, on whatever was beyond the vision.

"Now, I will ask you again, where is the human, you filthy creature?" The voice spat.

Carla looked angrily at the man speaking. "I am not saying. I will never speak. You can kill me, but face the wrath of the Shadow Kingdom if you so much as hurt a hair on my head."

"You Fae are so tricky. How I despise you. The human is all I need, you think I'm stopping there? I'm so close I can taste it. I will never stop, not this close to what I want most. Now, speak!"

"Never!"

A whip lashed out, striking the blue haired woman in the thigh. She strained against her binds, yelling in pain, fresh tears falling from her eyes.

"Levy!" Carla shouted, and the woman called Levy winced.

"I'll be fine, Carla." She said, but her face showed her pain clearly. The mark on her thigh grew into an angry red.

_Levy... Gajeel's wife?_

Carla glared defiantly, "Don't you touch her, you monster!"

"I do as I please. Now talk, or I kill her."

Carla looked at the ground with sorrow filled eyes, and then back up at whoever was speaking.

"She's in the forest. I... I cannot trace her."

The whip struck the blue haired elf again, and she screamed, thrashing. Tears sprung to the cat's eyes.

"Lies. Tell me the truth, fairy scum." The voice hissed coldly, making Lucy quiver.

"Titania," she choked, her expression apologetic, "You'll never get her. Titania has her. You can never defeat Titania."

Lucy heard a howl of rage. "Lies! All lies! Tell me the truth before I kill this woman!"

"I will never tell you anything! Not before I warn the human myself!"

"What?!" Came the man's shout, "How can you do that? Explain yourself, feline. Now!"

"In fact," The cat said, "I know she has seen this. And she will tell Titania."

"Explain, explain!" The man's voice was full of ill-suppressed rage.

"You will never find her. Titania will destroy you!" Carla's expression was defiant, but her eyes were full of desperation.

"I will, feline, you will tell me!"

"I will never! You are stupider than you look. Haven't I mentioned the fairy queen enough?"

"She cannot have found Titania. It isn't possible."

"She has befriended the creatures of the forest. Humans are more capable creatures that you assumed."

Everything went black with the man howling in rage.


	18. Nightmares and Shadows

Lucy bolted upright in bed, her skin sheen with a layer of sweat. She glanced around the dark bedroom, her heart rate beating a mile a minute. What... _was_ that? A warning? Lucy shuddered, clutching the blanket around her, her nightgown, now damp with sweat, doing very little to keep her warm. She flopped onto her side, pulling the blanket up to her ear. The harder she tried to sleep, the more she felt like someone was watching her. She could always go find Natsu. He seemed to be her tether to reality; what kept her sane in this shadowy place. But she didn't want to wake him. He'd been so kind when she'd poured her heart out to him. And Lucy didn't trust many people like she'd began to trust the Fire Warlock. He was warm and caring, and he listened.

Standing next to Natsu Dragneel was like standing next to a hearth, the flames burning brightly, warming her. He was comforting. Lucy didn't want to admit it, but she was beginning to fall for him. Hard.

She flipped to her other side. Levy... Carla... She had to save them from... who? Who was that man, and why did he need... her? This was all too much for the blonde, and she closed her eyes, slowly drifting back to sleep.

* * *

This time she was running. Her legs were bare, and covered in scratches. As she ran, more twigs and brambles ripped the skin, her breath came in short, panicked bursts. Every so often, she glanced over her shoulder, and she was being chased by... shadows? They seemed to be alive, clawing through the underbrush. Lucy didn't know what on God's earth it was, but she knew one thing: she mustn't let it catch her. If it caught her, it was game over. If it caught her, she'd never go home. She ran harder, wincing at the pain as another bramble caught her skin and tore through. She leapt over a log, sailing to the other side, and landing painfully on her ankle. She scampered up, hurriedly running faster, faster, but when she glanced back, the shadows were closer.

What is that? Why is it chasing her? Lucy whimpered, running harder, ignoring the dull throb in her ankle. Adrenaline was her only fuel, and her mouth was dry from panting. She could see no sanctuary, nowhere to escape. A feeling of dread washed over her, and her stomach plummeted to her toes when her bare foot caught on a rock, and she fell.

Down, down, hard onto the forest floor, landing painfully. She tried her hardest to get back up, keep running, but...

Too late.

Something cold wrapped around her ankle, at first almost wet, but then came the pain. It spiked up her leg, and she wailed, screaming in agony as the tendrils climbed up her body. They were like vines, snaking up, up, up, around her torso. She was thrashing, screaming, begging, and tears ran hot and fast down her face. When everything went black, a voice whispered in her ear:

"I've got you."

* * *

Contrary to the previous dream, where she'd woken up sweating, she woke up screaming this time. Her legs where tangled in the sheets, and her night gown twisted around her. Her eyes were wide, and the dream replayed through her mind.

_"I've got you."_

It was a dream? But...

It seemed so real.

"Lucy?"

Lucy's head snapped to her left, where Natsu stood. He was wearing a pair of black cotton pants that hung low on his hips and no shirt. His toned chest was completely bare, an expanse of tanned skin and taunt muscle. An x-shaped scar adorned his left hip, pale against the darker skin. His v-line dipped downward into his trousers, and Lucy shoved her thoughts and her eyes away from the matter and back up to the Warlock's face.

"Y-yes?"

Natsu smirked, obviously noticing Lucy's staring, but he said nothing. "Luce, I heard you screaming."

Lucy buried her face in the comforter, pulling her legs up to her knees. "Nightmare."

Lucy felt a weight press down beside her as Natsu sat down on the mattress. "What happened?"

The blonde lifted her head, looking the Fire Warlock in the eyes.

"I was being chased by a mass of shadows. I somehow knew if it got me, I would never get away."

Natsu was quiet before answering. "Shadow magic."

"What?"

"That sounds like shadow magic. But also kinda' like a possession spell. Transportation spell, maybe."

It dawned on Lucy all at once. "The fog."

"What about it?"

"Could that have been a type of spell? I mean, you just mentioned something about a transportation spell." Lucy shrugged, unsure what she was even talking about. She knew very little about magic of any form.

Natsu considered this. "It's possible, I s'pose. But fog magic is one of the rarer types of magic. Dunno who coulda cast it."

Lucy gulped.

The Warlock shrugged. "A demon, maybe, or possibly a Shadow Creature. The shadow mass ya saw was probably a Shadow Creature, actually."

"Do those exist in this forest?" The blonde asked.

"They exist anywhere dark, so yes, there've gotta be a few."

"Are they all... black masses?"

Natsu shook his head. "No. They can take on humanoid forms. They're shape shifters. But they usually have a preferred form."

"Natsu...?" Lucy looked out the window, peering into the treetops.

"Eh?" He replied.

"I had another dream... This one was different." Lucy kept her gaze on one tree in particular. It shook for a moment before an owl flew from it, diving into the canopy.

"How'sat?" Natsu said, trying to see where she was looking. And she told him about the dream, about Carla, and Levy, and the threats. And about the man, the man who wanted so desperately to find her. Lucy looked back at him when she'd finished her tale, and his expression was grim.

"This is bad." He said. "We need to talk to Titania. Now."

* * *

They met Titania in the entrance hall, and she was with a man this time. His hair was a deep blue, and on the right half of his face was a red tattoo, above and below his right eye. Oberon Jellal, King of the Fairies. He was intensely handsome, and like Titania, he wore a silver ring on his left ring finger. He wore a dark blue cloak with a silver lining and a black shirt, a deep red crystal pendant hanging around his neck. His trousers were also black, but had more of a blue tinge. Black boots were on his feet. His crown was silver, like his wife's, but it was not a circlet. It was a thin silver band that wrapped around his head, delicate trees sprouting off of it in a pattern around the length of it, their branches interlocking, woven together.

"There is a problem, yes?" Titania asked. She was still wearing the silvery dress and cloak from earlier. Lucy told her about her dream, and both the king and the queen looked concerned by the end.

"This is not good." Oberon said, turning to his wife, who's expression was grave.

Gajeel's expression was full of anger and worry. "Levy, what have they done with her? We have to go find them!"

Wendy's eyes were full of tears. "Carla... We have to save them."

Titania nodded. "I agree wholeheartedly, and it's a good thing she's clairvoyant or our dear Lucy would have never gotten her message. But we mustn't be hasty."

"What'dya mean?" Natsu asked.

"I mean, our foe is collecting different types of fae. What for, I do not know. But we need to find out. I have no idea how many he already has." Titania's expression was unreadable. "Merfolk, elves, nymphs, it seems he's collecting one of each."

"Oh no," came Gray's voice from behind Lucy, "Juvia."

"Juvia?" Titania asked, her eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, she's a water nymph. If this guy's collecting fae, she's in danger. I gotta find her!" He started towards the door, but Oberon but a hand on his shoulder.

"No, Ice Elf. It's too dangerous. He is hunting."

Gray looked troubled. "But your majesty-"

"He said he needs 'the human girl'." Lucy interrupted, "I think he means me."

"I figured as much," Said Titania, pinching the bridge of her nose, "One of everything."

"Do you have any idea what he's trying to do, your highness? Or who he is?" Wendy asked, her voice quivering.

"Yes and no. I have a vague idea what he's trying to do, but his identity is a mystery to me. I'd know the voice if I heard it, though." Titania turned to Lucy. "Can you describe it to me?"

Lucy raised her eyes, trying her hardest to remember. "It was cold, without an ounce of remorse... and low. That's all I can remember. Sorry if it's not much help."

"It's fine," Titania turned to her husband. "Now, what will we do about the Ice Elf's friend?"

The king sighed. "I don't know, my love. There isn't much we can do at the moment."

"No!" Gray cried, "I have to go to her!"

"It is too dangerous, did you not hear me?" The king boomed, "You listen to me, Ice Elf, if you go out there, you could be a dead man."

Gray was defiant. "But she could die! And if someone went with me, we could make it back."

"My answer stands." The king said.

"Love, let's think this through. Maybe send one of our knights with him to collect his Nymph friend, and he may make it back alive." Titania said, her expression defiant as Gray's. The king sighed, taking her hand.

"Erza, what knight do we have that is strong enough to fight off a Shadow Creature?" The king's tone was firm, but not unkind.

"Makarov. Or his grandson Laxus. They are strong as they come."

Oberon pinched the bridge of his nose with his free hand. "It is too risky. Makarov is old, and Laxus is as reckless as they come."

"Then I will go." Titania said, her posture unwavering, "I am a capable swordsman, and I can slay any creature."

"Erza, it is too risky."

"But will we just let her die? I will not have it, Jellal."

Jellal turned to Gray, his arms crossed. "Ice Elf, what is this Nymph to you?"

"I..." Gray started, and his face turned deep pink. "I..."

"You loooove her," Natsu jeered.

Gray stiffened. "So what if I do?"

Oberon nodded. "I see. She means that much to you."

"No! I mean yes! I mean... is this a trick question?" Gray's face was darkening by the second. Natsu bellowed with laughter. "Shut it, flame brain!"

Titania's eyes sparkled. "If it is a quest for love, we leave in an hour."

"Erza, I don't think-" The king started, but his wife cut him off.

"Jellal, this is our only hope. I have vanquished one hundred monsters. I can vanquish a few more and survive."

Oberon rested his forehead against his wife's. "I don't want to lose you."

She cupped his cheek. "And you won't. We will be back. Do not worry."

Jellal sighed heavily. "Alright. But be careful."

"I will be. We will bring back that Nymph. And we will come back alive."


	19. Slaying a Shadow

The path down from the treetop palace was farther down then Erza remembered. It always seemed faster, but with a companion, it was slowed. She had clad herself in armor, leaving her silvery dress and cloak, but adding a breastplate with a cross-like design on it, as well as gauntlets with guards shaped like wings on the elbows. Her sword was in her right hand, clutched tightly. Oh, she loved a good adventure. She'd have to have a good slice of strawberry cake when she got back.

When they'd reached the ground, the Fairy Queen turned to the Ice Elf. "Do you know how to contact your friend?"

"Yeah. She responds to my presence whenever I go near the water." He did not meet her eyes as he spoke. Erza smiled.

"How cute." She teased. The elf made an indignant noise, ducking his head. She laughed good-naturedly.

"I'm only playing with you, dear."

Gray sighed. "How long have you and Oberon Jellal been married?"

Erza smiled at the memories. "Oh, centuries."

Gray made a choking noise. "Repeat that?"

The queen laughed. "Centuries. As long as this forest exists and as long as I am needed as queen, I do not die."

"I see." Gray responded, but his voice was strained.

Erza scanned the tree line for any sign of danger, but she picked up nothing. The river was not far ahead, and all seemed quiet.

"Juvia?" Gray called, and he quickened his pace as they reached the water's edge. He dipped his fingers in the water, and after a few moments of silence, she emerged. Erza smiled at the Nymph, and she started.

"My love, there is danger here. I have been chased. I fear I have been followed." The Water Nymph's voice shook as she pulled herself from the water. "What is the queen doing here?"

"I have come along to assist in your escort back to the palace. There is something hunting Fae, and Gray insisted on coming to get you." Titania said.

The Water Nymph's face darkened in color considerably and she made an incoherent noise, wobbling on her feet. "My darling came for... me?"

Gray face palmed.

"If what you said is true, Water Nymph, then we must hurry." Titania turned, gesturing to the path behind her with her sword. Juvia nodded, snapping out of her trance.

"We must go."

But that was easier said than done. The water darkened, and Juvia turned, trying to find the source. It thickened, tendrils of black weaving together, making the water look like ink. The duo backed up, and Titania stepped forward reading her sword.

"Run," the queen ordered, "Back to the palace."

"Your majesty, what about you?" Gray asked, gripping Juvia's hand.

"Go!"

"We will not leave you!" The Nymph cried.

"GO NOW," Erza roared, "I can take care of this. I have slain one hundred monsters, what is one more?"

They did not move, and Erza shouted the command again. They took off along the path, their expressions regretful. The water was churning, rising, forming, into a black mass. The tendrils were like fingers. It lunged. Titania was ready.

She leapt into the air, slicing through mass of black, and a hollow shriek rang through the forest. She landed hard, allowing a turn to break most of her fall. It lunged again, and _slash, slash, slash_ she cut the waves of black as they sailed towards her. She raised her arms, summoning an identical sword to the one in her right hand. She clutched it with her left, blocking the next wave with an x-formation, crossing the blades.

"What do you want?!" The Fairy Queen bellowed, cutting a wide arc with her twin swords through the inky spirals, and another resounding shriek echoed. She lunged, plunging her swords into the center, caring them in opposite directions. The creature howled, springing away before attempting to surround her.

"HEAVENS WHEEL!" The queen called, and swords appeared in a fan around her, slicing away the tendrils, the air humming with power.

They disappeared in a burst of light, and Titania leapt into the air, diving downwards, she sliced up, down, to the side, and thrust the sword into the blackness.

"ANSWER ME, MONSTER!" The queen roared, and the monster roared right back.

"Not much of a talker, are we?" Erza said, blocking the attack with another x-formation. "I'll make you talk, then."

Erza sliced and swung until she and the creature were hovering above the water, and with another shout, she drove the swords into the ink, slicing hard. The thing fell back, and Erza swung again, allowing gravity to take the wheel, plunging the swords through the creature, and withdrawing them. She parried it's strike, and with another decisive blow, she slammed the creature with the flat of the blade.

It fell back into the water, tendrils spreading before it lunged again. She blocked with a burst of power. The air was singing, and she was panting, her swords striking and slicing. The creature howled with rage or pain, the queen couldn't exactly tell. With a grunt of effort, she flung herself and it back onto land, her cape billowing out behind her, and with a mighty blow, the shadow creature catapulted back into a tree with a guttural scream. It lunged again, and she swiped furiously, and gave a scream of effort. She flung it down, roundhouse kicking hard enough to send it rocketing sideways, and as it tried to come back, she ran both swords parallel through it, leaving clean trails. The wounds closed and Erza gave a groan of rage.

She adjusted the grip on the hilts of her swords, stabbing downwards as the creature flung itself forward, surrounding her again. With another Heaven's Wheel attack, the shadows cleared, and then Erza noticed. With every blow and strike, the mass grew smaller. Oh, now she was getting somewhere. Erza launched herself up into the air, higher than the creature as it flew to catch up with her, directly under her. Erza rolled through the air, and as she reached the ground, she impaled the thing on the blade of her sword, and with a heave, she flung it off and into the water. It landed with a resounding splash, and melted into a humanoid figure.

The figure lay motionless, and Titania dragged it to shore. The man who the creature had become had shaggy black hair, and it covered the entire left side of his face. A thin scar was slashed across the bridge of his nose. He wore a black cloak, the edge torn to shreds, and a tight black shirt, the sleeves reaching past his wrists. His trousers were also black, tight, and tucked into black boots. A gash tore across his chest, the blood staining the cloth around it crimson. Erza smacked him harshly in the face.

"You. Wake up, you must answer me. Now."

The man stirred, and groaned in pain. Erza decided that there was no use, and she would have to take him back to the palace

* * *

The trek back to the palace was harder with a wounded man in her arms. Erza was carrying him bridal style, never one for anything else. Whenever her husband was wounded in battle, this was the way she carried him. The stairs were even harder, and it seemed like the man's weight was multiplying with every step she took. When she reached the door, she shouted at the top of her lungs, and the door creaked open. Using her foot, Titania nudged the door open far enough to fit through, and it slammed shut behind her.

The throne room was occupied when she entered. Wendy lay on the steps to the throne with her head in Lucy's lap, her shoulders shaking with sobs. Lucy stroked her hair, whispering comforting things. Natsu sat beside her, his head on her shoulder.

Gray and Juvia sat not far away, deep in conversation, their hands intertwined.

"Erza!"

Erza turned, and her husband ran towards her. "Thank the heavens you're safe."

Erza knelt, laying the injured man down. Her husband looked puzzled. "Who is this?"

"The Shadow Creature I just defeated. He needs medical attention, and then we interrogate him."

Wendy appeared behind the queen, tugging at her cloak. Erza turned.

"Yes, what is it?"

The elf raised her tearstained face, swallowing audibly. "I know healing magic. I can close the wound."

Erza smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Wendy."

The queen watched as the young elf scurried over to the motionless man, her hands encased with light. The visible wound began to close, leaving a large scar, which shrunk even farther, and then was gone. The blood remained, though. The man coughed.

"Quick, restrain him." Jellal ordered, and with a sweep of Titania's hand, a pair of thick silver cuffs appeared on his wrists.

His eyes opened slowly, and he looked around frantically. "Where am I?"

"You are in Titania's palace," Erza said coldly, "Now what is your name, monster?"

"Rogue."

"Well, Rogue, you have attacked the queen and threatened her friends," Erza started, "You have a lot to answer for. I do not like taking lives, but if you do not tell me what I need to know, there will be bloodshed."

The man sighed. "I have no choice, do I?"

"No."

"Then ask away."

"Thank you for being cooperative," The queen shifted her weight, "Now, you will answer these questions with truth. What is your master's plan?"

"I don't know." He said.

"Do not defy me-"

"I am being honest." Rogue said, and his eyes told Erza he was being truthful. "He just told me to collect a creature of every species."

"Who is 'he?'" Natsu chimed in. Erza nodded, signaling for Rogue to answer.

"His name is Mard Geer," Rogue said.

"Where is my wife?" Growled Gajeel, and the man cowered.

"I know not where she is, but I am the one who took her if she is missing."

"I will kill ya, ya shadow bastard." Gajeel attempted to lunge, but Erza held up a hand.

"Do not be rash, Gajeel." Erza said sharply. "He might be the only link to finding your wife."

He stopped, but his scowl remained.

"Can you take us to where he is?" Erza continued.

"Yes."

"And why does he need these fae?"

Rogue looked apologetic. "I don't know. I am being honest, your majesty. He did not tell me why, but just to gather creatures."

"Tell us again this man's name."

"Mard Geer."

Erza turned to her husband. "Darling, have you heard that name before?"

"Yes." Oberon replied, "I have. He is troubling. I have heard his name among the people, in the shadows. He is power hungry, from what I have observed."

"Well, that answers nothing." Gray quipped. Lucy glared at him.

"It's better than nothing," said Erza, "but Gray is right, it does not tell us much. Rogue, tell us about him."

"He's a bad man. I know not what he's planning, but it must be stopped. He has my friends in shackles. I have no choice. Danger is coming. Starting with her."

He was looking directly at Lucy.


	20. Infiltration

It was dark, and Levy was afraid. Her joints hurt from the constant pull behind her back, and her mouth felt like it was stuffed with cotton from the lack of proper hydration. The wounds on her legs burned in the cold air, and the bruised skin ached with every shift of weight. Her dress did little to cover her properly. Levy was pretty sure that her left shoulder was dislocated.

Footsteps sounded along the dark corridor, and Levy shifted forward, gasping in pain as her scraped knees were rubbed against the uneven concrete that made up the floor of her cell. Carla was sound asleep in the corner, a ball of white fur. Levy envied her and her ability to sleep. If only Levy could use her magic and melt into the shadows. But the cuffs she was stuck in scrambled her senses, keeping her from using the power.

A man in a guard's uniform appeared in front of the cell door, a dirty plate in his hand. His hair was messy and blonde, his face thin and handsome. His eyes were piercing and blue. A small, vertical scar slashed through his right eyebrow. He unlocked the door, and it opened with a clang. Carla woke with a start, murmuring sleepily. The man set down the platter, and a piece of bread was on the plait, as well as some water in a cracked glass. Levy's empty stomach growled and turned, and her mouth watered at the very sight of the slice of bread. The man held up the bread, tilting the elf's chin so she could eat. When she finished, which she did quite quickly, he gave her water. Carla stood beside the plate, eating her own slice of bread hungrily. Levy began to cry. The Guard looked alarmed.

"Please..." Levy sobbed, "Please."

"P-please what?" The guard croaked. He wasn't supposed to talk to the prisoners.

"Help me." Levy felt horribly weak saying that, but she just wanted to see her husband again. "Help me, please. This is hell."

The man's eyes softened, and he looked at the dirty cat and the battered elf with regretful eyes. "I'm sorry, I can't."

Levy sobbed openly. "I just want to see my husband again."

"What's your name?" The guard asked gently, shifting his body into a sitting position. Levy hung her head, the strain on her right shoulder sending throbbing pain down to her fingertips, and the elf whimpered.

"Levy." She choked.

"Levy, my name is Sting. What happened to you?" The guard's voice was soft, and the tenderness was enough to make Levy begin to sob again.

"It hurts..." Levy whimpered, trying in vain to shift her shoulder into a more comfortable position. "Please..."

Sting brushed a stray strand of azure hair behind the elf's pointed ear, and she looked up at him. "I was taken. Taken from my home."

"Are you a Shadow Elf?" He asked.

"Yes." Levy replied, "My husband and I are both."

"Levy, do you know what's happening?" Sting's tone was firm, but not unkind.

The bluenette shook her head no.

"Why... are you being nice to me?" Levy wanted to know.

"Because I'm here to help. I'm with Titania."

"Titania?" Levy expelled, letting her body go stiff, but wincing when a flair of pain traveled through her body from her shoulder.

Sting looked around fretfully. "Keep your voice down. Yes, Titania captured one of the scouts. I am one of her knights."

The elf burst into hysterical sobs. "Please. Please, get me out of here. I'm begging you, please. I want to see my husband again."

The man gave her a reassuring smile. "I know. I will. Don't worry, Levy. You will be leaving here before Mard Geer comes for his next round of questioning."

Levy gave a sob of relief. "Oh, thank you, thank you."

The man began to get up, and he looked regretfully back at the shackled elf.

"Please, Levy. Hang on."

Sting walked back down the corridor with the empty dishes in hand. Another guard brushed past him, his expression unwavering. He passed countless cells, each one housing a different creature or being. A mermaid was shackled to the wall, her head limp on her chest. Her blue hair hung in a curtain around her head. She had a cut on her left arm, and it was starting to scab over.

Sting would do anything to serve his queen, but this place was horrific. Titania had told him to go and rescue any two prisoners. They might know what Mard Geer was planning. But from his conversation with Levy, even the prisoners didn't know. He entered the dark kitchen of the fortress, placing the plaits among the other prisoner's used dishes and utensils.

Now, a weapon. Something to break the chains. He needed to go the armory. But it was guarded.

"Damn." The blonde male hissed. He would go, though. Even though they knew nothing, he couldn't just leave them. Sting reached into the pocket in his belt, wrapping his fingers around the hilt of the small dagger within. It was sharp, but not nearly sharp enough to cut through steel.

The armory was at the end of a hall opposite the kitchen, and a man with short dark hair stood in front of the door. Sting approached him.

"I need to get inside." He said, making sure to keep his face blank so the man wouldn't grow suspicious.

He gave him a quizzical look. "What for?"

"My sword broke."

"Oh?" The man scratched the patchy beard growing on his chin, "How?"

"I... was beating a prisoner."

The man looked appalled. "Damn. You're strong."

"Uh. Yeah. I've been told that before."

The soldier was turning, a key in hand when he froze. "Wait a second. Why were you beating a prisoner with a sword?"

Sting gulped. Dammit, dammit, dammit. "More threatening that way. I... could shift it any second and slice them to ribbons."

The blonde tried his best to smile sadistically, but it probably just ended up looking like a grimace. Oh god.

But to Sting's surprise, the guard bought it. "I like the way you think, new guy."

The heavy metal door swung open, and Sting pushed past the guard and inside.

The armory had high ceilings, and the walls were lined with weapons of all shaped and sizes. Sting's gaze fell on a thick-bladed sword, it's hilt gild with a leather grip. That would do. He tested the sharpness with his fingertips, not pressing hard enough to draw blood. He slid the heavy sword into the holster on the belt, and excited the armory with a curt smile at the man who'd let him in.

It's show time.


	21. Escape and Revelation

Sting reached the cell again, sword in hand, and he slid the key in the lock. Levy looked up again. Relief washed over her as she saw the sword in his hand.

"Hold still. I'm going to cut your binds."

He raised the sword above his head, and slammed it down on the chain behind Levy. She jolted backwards as the chain was forced down, landing painfully on her wounded shoulder. She bit her lip to stop from screaming from the pain, drawing blood. Sting sliced Carla's chains next, and pried the cuffs off of Levy's hands using his dagger's hilt. Levy rolled her shoulders, giving a hiss from the pain.

"Are you hurt?"

"I think my shoulder is dislocated." The elf whimpered.

Sting gave her a pitiful look, and he sighed. "We're going to have to pop it back into place."

"What?!" Levy cried, scrambling backwards.

Sting knelt beside her, and put both hands in place on Levy's left shoulder. She winced at the sudden contact.

"I'm going to count you down, Levy."

Levy looked at him unsurely. "Sting do you know what you're doing?"

"No."

"WHAT?!" Levy cried, and Sting gave her a warning look.

"We're not going anywhere if you can't keep it down. Now _I'm going to count you down._ "

"Oh dear God."

"3..." Sting started, and Levy closed her eyes.

"2..."

"1!" And with a sudden shove and a pop, the bone popped back into place. Levy gave an ungodly shriek, her body convulsing. Sting pulled her to him, shushing her. Levy cried, clutching her shoulder with her uninjured hand.

"You could have warned me." She snipped, and Sting chuckled.

"I did."

The trio could hear footsteps pounding against the corridor. Levy's scream had attracted guards. Sting scooped the injured woman and cat into his arms, and Carla made hersef a resting spot on Levy's chest. Pain was the primary feeling she was experiencing, coming in waves from her shoulder. Sting began to run.

Out of the cell, down the hall, past the weapons room, down the corridor. Footsteps thundered behind him, shouts echoing off the high ceilings. An arrow whizzed past Sting's head, and he picked up the pace. The woman was small and light, which was convenient. The cat didn't weigh much, either. His eyes searched frantically for an exit as he ran down the stairs, running, running, running.

A window. Yes. Titania had given him a device to allow him to arrive back at the palace when he touched it. But he had to be outdoors. Sting leapt as high as he could, burying his face in his shoulder to shield his face from the broken glass.

With all the strength in his right arm, he hoisted Levy and Carla up into a sitting position, and all three of them were falling. Arrows came through the window like rain, and Sting pivoted to the side midair to avoid one that could have very well gone strait through his skull. He reached down to the pendant that hung around his neck, and ran a thumb across the surface.

He, and his passengers dissolved into light.

...

Titania almost dropped her strawberry cake at the sudden flash of light that appeared in her throne room, but caught it before her morsel could hit the floor. She sighed in relief. One of her knights, Sting Eucliffe, sat crouched in the middle of the floor, various arrows scattered around his form. In his arms was a small woman with blue hair, a white cast curled into a ball on her abdomen.

With precision, Erza set her cake on the armrest of her chair, rising.

"Sting. Your mission was successful, I see?"

Sting looked up, rising to his full height. "Yes, your highness. But Levy is injured."

Levy coughed weakly. "No, I'm fine. Just... need rest."

"You're bleeding."

"Where is my husband?" Levy asked.

Titania paused. "What is his name?"

"It's Gajeel. Is he here? If he isn't we have to go get him. I need to find him." The bluenette struggled in Stings arms, and he gingerly set her down on the carpet. She wobbled, falling to her knees.

"You are in no fit state to walk." Titania observed, "Sting, take her to the infirmary."

Levy's heart seized. "Titania, please! Is my husband here?!"

"Yes. He is here. And I will-"

She was interrupted by a shout. "Levy!"

The woman recognized the voice, and she crawled around the queen's skirts to see Gajeel, running towards her. He knelt, scooping her into his arms.

Levy began to cry, her arms around his neck. Tears ran down his own cheeks. "Thank the gods that yer safe, shrimp."

Gajeel tilted her back enough to kiss her, deeply and passionately. Sting shifted uncomfortably and Titania smiled, tears in her eyes. When they broke apart, Levy spoke from where her face was buried in Gajeel's shoulder.

"Is there anywhere I can have a bath?"

"How about we get you some medical attention, first." Wendy said, who had appeared out of nowhere.

"Yeah." Levy sighed, but Gajeel kept her in his arms. "As long as Gajeel can come with me."

Titania chuckled. "Off with you three, then. Porlyusica will be waiting in the infirmary for you." The queen turned to one of the doorways, calling out, "Virgo!"

The pink haired maid appeared from around a corner, bowing politely. "Yes, my queen?"

"Go tell Mirajane in the kitchen that she needs to prepare a meal for our new guest. She will be treated with our greatest hospitality."

Virgo disappeared again with another bow.

Now, how about returning to that strawberry cake...

* * *

Lucy lay on the window seat in her room, surrounded by plush pillows. She had since changed from the nightgown and into a red dress that reached her ankles. The skirt flowed when she walked, and it was tied at the waist with a thick white ribbon. It had long, tight fitting sleeves and a neckline that dipped just below her collarbone. A soft violet blanket was wrapped around her body, one of the books from the shelves in her hand. She had been lucky enough to find a copy of something she'd read. A fairy tale, in fact. " _Beauty and the Beast."_

Lucy had adored it since she was a kid. She'd always loved how Belle was able to find love in an unlikely place. She'd fallen in love with someone who seemed unloveable, and he loved her unconditionally in return. Lucy wanted that sort of love. Someone to wipe away her tears, to hold her close, and to kiss her lips tenderly. She wanted love and all its faults. The heartbreak, if it was part of the package, and the laughter, all the tears. To have loved and lost was better than to have never loved at all.

But all the books made it sound like love was so easy. But slowly, Lucy was beginning to realize that love wasn't anything to be taken lightly. It wrapped it's warm fingers around her very soul, tugging, _tugging_ so hard she felt like her mind may spill out her ears.

The kiss was coming up in her book. Lucy traced her own lips with her fingers. But then came the part where the villainous Gaston attempted to slay the beast, and Belle was weeping over his body. It described her heartbreak, her feeling of loss. And the final 'I love you' that conquered even death. Lucy felt tears of her own escape her eyes, rolling down her cheeks. That kiss, Lucy wanted more than anything. Or something with just as much feeling.

Lucy put the book on a pillow, pages down, burying her head in her knees.

Love was hard, and Lucy was beginning to discover just how hard it was.

Why? Because she was finally realizing how hard she was falling for Natsu.


	22. Love

Titania watched with a tearful smile as the small Shadow Elf called Wendy cried openly into the white cat Sting had brought back, and the white cat clung to her like a lifeline. But she knew something was stirring. Sting getting Levy and Carla back so easily was almost too convenient. Almost as if they had let him escape. But Titania knew better.

This calm, this relief would not last long. Reunions were wonderful. She remembered times where she'd been separated from her husband for months at a time, and reunions were tearful and full of kisses. But these seemed almost... careful. Gajeel clung to his tiny wife like she was the last thing on earth, and the way Wendy was crying was almost like she was afraid of Carla disappearing.

Just how long had these people been gone?

Erza decided not to press. She summoned Virgo to fetch her another slice of that delicious strawberry cake, and she sat back, eating and cleaning between the tines of the fork with her tongue. But cake, however delicious it was, was not the only thing on her mind. This situation she had suddenly found her kingdom in troubled her. It troubled her deeply.

* * *

Lucy tried to take a bath to get her thoughts away from the matter.

No, love cannot happen. Not to her. She was too broken. Who would want a girl who had been left alone all her life? And she could never be with him, anyway. Her father wanted her to marry a certain man, he wanted her to give birth to a boy. If she told him she wanted to run off with a penniless Warlock, she would never be able to visit her childhood home again. Her memories of her beloved mother would be all but lost. When she ran her fingers over the grains of wood in the floorboards, or the old, faded covers of the books in the library, she would sometimes catch a sniff of her mother's perfume, which she wore even bedridden.

But she loved him. Oh so much. And it was killing her. She was inexperienced, and had no idea how to deal with this strong rush of emotion. It was like her senses had been put under a magnifying glass, and they were amplified. Amplified just enough to make her mind spin and her heart swell and throb painfully. It was like falling asleep. Oh so slowly, tossing and turning, getting comfortable, and then, suddenly, it happens all at once.

Lucy pulled her bare body into a ball, her knees against her chest, resting her cheek on them.

Love was so foreign to her, a new, dangerous feeling. She would put her own happiness before his. But why? Why did he do this to her? She was beginning to crave that feeling of fulfillment she experienced when he was close to her, walking through the horrifying forest, his rough, warm hand intertwined with her much smaller one. His smile, his laugh, and the way he got when danger was near. How he shielded her. But what would happen if he didn't love her?

Lucy shifted, not wanting to think about that. After this, what would she do? With all she knew, she could never go back to a normal life. She could never just sit back and look at the world in the same way. She knew it's secrets. It had it's dark corners, where it's barriers between the living and the dead had worn thin. And Hangman's Forest was one of those places. And she'd rather be here, surrounded by creatures of the night who cared for her than in her father's mansion, surrounded by people who only pitied her. They pitied the master's daughter, the girl who lost her mother, and with her mother went her hope.

* * *

Lucy stood in front of her mirror, a towel draped around her form. Her face was red from crying, and her breath rattled when she drew air in. The blonde tied her hair off into the section on the side of her head, and slid back on the red dress from earlier. She decided against the hairstyle, leaving it down. When she exited the bathroom, Natsu was sitting on her bed. He grinned when she entered, and stood to greet her. Lucy wanted to run to him, throw her arms around him, kiss him. But what if he didn't love her at all?

"Hey Lucy. I was exploring the palace when I found this."

Natsu reached into the pocket of his trousers, and he drew out a necklace. It was a silver key, the hilt a pair of wings, a heart layered over them. It shimmered in the moonlight. Lucy felt her eyes prickle.

"Titania said I could give it to you." His smile was huge.

Lucy nodded mutely as he reached around her neck, drawing her body oh so close to his own. He struggled with the clasp for a few moments before it held, the necklace hanging around her neck. Lucy touched it with the tips of her fingers, her lips trembling.

"I... Natsu." Lucy stammered, "I don't know what to say."

Natsu smiled, ruffling her hair. "You ain't gotta say anything."

"Thank you."

"No prob." The fire warlock turned to leave, but Lucy put a hand on his shoulder.

"Natsu. Please stay."

* * *

The pair sat on the love seat in front of the fire place, and Natsu lit it with a puff of breath, filling the room with a warm glow. Conflicted emotions filled Lucy's mind. He was right there, literally _inches_ from her, and she was frozen. Natsu was the first to speak.

"How ya holdin' up?"

Lucy started, turning towards him, "Hm?"

Natsu chuckled. "How ya holdin' up?"

"I'm fine, I guess." She dropped her gaze to the fire.

"Homesick?" He smiled, his fangs gleaming in the firelight.

"You could say that." Lucy's mind whirled back to the bath, her heart seizing in her chest. Her father could never provide a place where she could be happy. But the memories of her mother were the tethers that kept her bound to the place.

"What'dya mean?" The warlock asked, leaning back in the seat.

"I don't want to live with my father anymore." Lucy sighed. "When I get back, he's going to arrange that wedding I told you about."

"So than don't go." Natsu said simply.

Lucy huffed in a breath. "It isn't that simple."

"Why not?" Natsu's face was unreadable, "Your happiness should be more important than the future of some company. If your father loved you-"

Lucy interrupted, her hand up. "He doesn't love me, Natsu. That's why he doesn't care. He probably doesn't even notice I'm gone."

"Luce, don't say that." Natsu pulled her to him, and she rested her head against his shoulder.

"But it's true."

Natsu tilted Lucy's chin up so he could look her in the eye. "Lucy, who wouldn't love you? You're kind, gentle, and a wonderful person. And... you're beautiful. Don't say you're unloved. It ain't true."

Lucy felt her face heat up. "But who would love someone so broken?"

Natsu laughed, and Lucy's heart beat a tad faster.

"We all love you. Wendy, Gray, Gajeel, Juvia, Titania." Natsu paused, letting her settle against his side. "And me."

"What?" Lucy asked, her face deepening in color.

"Me, Lucy."


	23. Intruders

_"Me, Lucy."_

Lucy felt her eyes begin to prickle. "Y-you...?"

Natsu's eyes were gentle. "Yeah. Why'dya thing I'd give you that necklace?"

Lucy suddenly felt silly. If Natsu was saying... what she though he was saying, this meant she was worrying in vain. She gave a small, incredulous laugh.

"You.. you... Natsu... I... You..."

Natsu pulled her to him, and she rested her chin on his shoulder. Her head fit perfectly in the crook of his neck.

Lucy choked out a sob. "You love... me?"

"Yeah," Natsu laughed. "Why's that so hard ta believe?"

Lucy nuzzled him with her nose. "I don't know which way you love me."

"What'dya mean?" The Warlock said, confused. Lucy felt her heart seize.

"I mean, which way do you love me? Do you love me as a sister, or... some way else?"

"Lucy, I may be kinda dense sometimes, but I know you ain't a sister to me."

"Please, Natsu. Be clear." Lucy cried.

Natsu took a deep breath, his cheeks turning a light pink, much to Lucy's surprise. "I love you, Luce. Like... I wanna hold you. I love you."

Lucy laughed, jovially, and at first Natsu looked offended, before she stopped and stared at him, with teary eyes and a watery smile.

"I love you, too."

Lucy buried her head in his shoulder, and began to cry, her heart glowing. Natsu buried his nose in her hair. With a careful hand, he cupped her cheek in his rough palm, tilting her face up to be parallel with his. He tilted his head, a funny, warm sort of smile on his face, and he began to lean forward. His lips were mere centimeters from hers, just a bit closer, a kiss in the firelight. Lucy's eyes drifted closed. She could feel his warm breath fanning across her lips, they were ever so close. Lucy could almost feel them brush against hers.

The door swung open, and Titania's voice ripped through the tender moment.

"Enemies," she barked, "near the palace."

The pair ripped apart and rushed after the fairy queen to the throne room.

* * *

Oberon was pacing back in forth the length of the carpet, wringing his hands. Levy, her arm in a sling, her legs wrapped in bandages, sat on the steps, her head resting on Gajeel's arm. Gray was holding Juvia to his chest, and she was crying. Sting was arguing heatedly with Rogue, and Wendy and Carla were sitting on the steps as well, eyes closed. Wendy would say something every so often, and Carla wound nod or reply.

Natsu scratched his head, glancing at Lucy. Titania turned towards them.

"I was on the balcony in my bedroom when I noticed something was off. In one of the clearings, I saw a person. It was a man, and he was wearing a black cloak. He didn't move when I stared at him for a good five minutes, and when I called to him, he looked up at me and he walked off. I figured it was no bod deal, and thought he was probably a Shadow Elf. Dark hair, dark clothes. He fit the profile. I went back to my cake. But then, when I looked down again, the man was back. He smiled at me, and walked off again." The queen trailed off, adding quietly, "At least I _think_ it was a smile. I _was_ several stories up."

"He left again, and by this point I was suspicious. That's when I noticed. There were men in the trees. They didn't see me, but they were there. And they were hooded. This is not good. If that man Rogue mentioned, Mard Geer, it spells deep trouble for us. I've sent knights on patrol around the clearing and the forest, but I'm not sure how well that will do. I sent out the Thunder Legion."

"The Thunder Legion?" Natsu asked curiously.

"Yes," Titania said, "One of our elite forces. Laxus Dreyar, Freed Justine, Bickslow and Evergreen. They are some of our strongest. Freed and Evergreen can use their magic to fly, and Laxus and Bickslow are good with long range attacks. They are attempting to eliminate the men in the trees as we speak."

"What other forces do you have?" Lucy asked. Titania's eyes glittered pridefully.

"We have Team Sabertooth, who's members include Sting Eucliffe, who you see over there, Yukino Agria, Rufus Lore, and Orga Nanagear.

"We have the Osprey Squad, it's two members being Alzack and Bisca Connell. They have a daughter, Asuka."

"Team Mermaid Heel, members being Beth Vanderwood, Araña Webb, Risley Law, Kagura Mikazuchi, and Millianna."

"The Strauss Siblings, Mirajane, who is also the cook, Elfman and Lisanna Strauss."

"We have our Father-Daughter Team, Gildarts Clive and Cana Alberona. Gildarts is one of our aces."

"And last, we have The Trimens, " Titania gave a shudder, "Ichiya Vandalay Kotobuki, Hibiki Lates, Eve Tearm, and Ren Akatsuki."

"You don't like them?" Lucy wondered.

Titania sighed. "I don't have much of a problem with Ren, Hibiki or Eve, but Ichiya makes me uncomfortable."

Lucy looked at her quizzically. "Why?"

The redhead didn't meet her gaze, her eye twitching. "You'll see if you meet him. We'll inevitably need Hibiki. He's one of our best technicians. And with Hibiki comes Ichiya."

The notion wasn't promising. "Joy." Lucy said flatly. Titania chuckled.

Oberon suddenly rushed over, his face grim. "One of the men engaged with the Thunder Legion. It was Laxus. He shocked the everliving hell out of him, but I fear more men may take his example."

"This is bad," Titania said, "I do not want war with someone like Mard Geer."

She turned to her husband, taking his hand, "I will avoid war at all costs. I do not want unnecessary bloodshed. I would prefer to take him down with strategy."

Jellal froze, his expression unreadable. "Do you mean... her?"

Titania nodded. "If it comes to that, we will use her."

Natsu cocked his head quizzically. "Who are you talkin' about?"

"The Fairy Tactician, Mavis Vermillion," Oberon said, "when we use her, nobody gets away. She's infamous for her foolproof plans."

"Oh." Natsu said, "That's nice. So where is this Mayfly Fern million?"

Lucy sighed, putting her head in her hand. "He literally just said her name, Natsu. And it wasn't even close to that."

"Mavis Vermillion," Jellal said, looking pointedly at Natsu, "is in her chambers. She is one of the royal consultants as well as a tactician."

"Oh." Natsu said. He may have said more, but Lucy stopped him with a hand.

The door creaked open, and a woman stepped through. She had long silver-white hair and wide blue eyes. A sprig of hair stood on top of her head, tied up. She had a kind face, and was wearing a red dress that reached her mid shin. It had a wide skirt, lighter red embellishments decorating it. A large bow was in the center of the bodice, resting on her ample bust.

"Mira," Erza said, surprised. "What are you doing out here?"

The white haired woman smiled sweetly. "I came to bring this to Levy."

In her hand was a platter, and on it was a slice of key lime pie. Levy smiled gratefully as she handed it to her, digging in.

"And on another note, I wanted to see if there was any way I could help?"

Titania shook her head. "No, not now. I'll call you if we need serious backup."

"Okay!" Mira said with a giggle, retrieving the platter from Levy, who had devoured the pie in record time.

"Who was that?" Lucy asked after the woman had left.

"That was Mirajane Strauss. She's one of our aces. We call her the She-Devil." Titania replied.

"She's that powerful?" Lucy cried.

"Yes. She has the powers of a demon."

"Um," Lucy hesitated, "What exactly are the people living in this castle?"

"Fairies," Titania replied. "My eternal warriors."


	24. Arrowhead

**"** Fairies?" Lucy said, incredulous, "You have no wings."

Titania simply smiled. "We have them. But it takes a certain level of skill to use them. As I mentioned, Freed and Evergreen, two members of the Thunder Legion have the power of flight. They can use their wings. I can use my wings, Jellal can use his wings. The more powerful the Fairy, the easier it is to use wings. The Fairies are the protectors of the forest. We keep order. We stop wars from happening unnecessarily."

"Oh." Lucy said.

"Yes. As long as this forest exists and as long as I am alive, we will remain here."

The front doors flung open suddenly, and two men stumbled in. One was a tall, blonde man with piercing eyes and a lightning bolt shaped scar sewing its way across his right eye. His hair stood up in short, messy spikes, and he was very muscular, his shoulders wide and broad. A black tattoo was peeking from the collar of his sleeveless shirt. The edges were lined with fur. Around his shoulders was a long black trench coat, the edges also lined with fur.

He was supporting a man on his shoulder, blood soaking through the trousers on the injured man's thigh. He had long green hair with two zigzag shaped strands standing up at the top. He was dressed in a red trench coat, a rapier hanging at his hip.

Titania started towards them. "Laxus. Freed. What happened?"

The green haired man coughed weakly. "I got shot. Arrow to the thigh. They are skilled marksmen, my queen. But I must go back, I must fight! I cannot-"

The blonde man, presumably Laxus, cut him off with a scowl. "Freed, you're too weak. You'll be useless to us wounded like you are. Now rest. Let someone take you to the infirmary."

Freed relented, his head hanging. "I will do anything you say, Laxus, but I will be back on the battlefield as soon as I am well."

"Yeah, yeah," Laxus rolled his eyes, "Just don't get in the way."

Titania smiled. "Lucy, will you take Freed to the infirmary? Laxus has to go back out and fight. Do you know anything about medicine?"

Lucy started. "Uh, I know basic wound dressing. I can try my best to help him, but what about that Porlyusica person you mentioned? And what about Wendy?"

"Porlyusica is busy dealing with other injured guards and Wendy is resting. So please dress his wounds to the best of your ability. If you need assistance, approach Porlyusica in the medicine room, or in another part of the infirmary and tell her your situation. She will help."

Laxus regarded Lucy with a hard stare. "Ya ready? I'm passing him to you. Steady yourself."

Lucy gulped. "Yeah."

Laxus moved so Freed was between them, and Lucy put an arm around Freed's waist. Freed put his arm around her shoulders, and Laxus released him. His weight was almost too much, and Laxus had dropped him from a height of sorts, as he was much taller than the girl.

"Question," Lucy croaked, her face twisting in effort to keep Freed up, "Where is the infirmary?"

Titania pointed to the door, "Go through those doors and keep going strait. Then turn left, and go strait again until you reach a pair of white doors. That entire hallway is for medicine. Go into any of the rooms with beds inside. There should be supplies in the cabinet by the door."

"R-right."

* * *

It took a few minutes of hobbling around and dragging Freed, who tried his very best to help with directions, but Lucy finally found the infirmary. She lay Freed down, and he took most of his weight on his uninjured leg so he could lay down. Lucy looked at him gratefully. She pulled a chair up to the bed she'd lay him in.

The room was full of six beds, each evenly spaced and on either side of the room. Each had a dark wood night stand beside it. On the beds were silvery down comforters. Light gray curtains hung on rods beside the beds, separating them from one another, though most of them were drawn, leaving the room to full view. The floor was also dark wood, and a large window was at the end of the room, letting in moonlight. Candles lit up the room from stands on the wall, bathing everything gold. Beside the door, just as Titania said, was a dark wood cabinet about as tall as Lucy with glass doors. Inside were countless medical supplies. Lucy opened the cabinet.

_"Think, Lucy, think. What do you use to clean a wound... You clean it first... alcohol? Clean cloth? Maybe he knows."_

Freed's voice came from behind her. "What is your name?"

"Lucy." Lucy replied, her eyes landing on a bottle labeled 'rubbing alcohol' and a stack of clean cloths. She pulled them out, setting them on the nightstand.

"My name is Freed. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Lucy turned towards him, smiling. "It's nice to meet you, too. Freed, can you remove your coat and boots?"

He obliged, and hung the garment up on the bed post beside his head. He set the boots beside the nightstand.

"I'm sorry," Lucy said, "But what do I do first?"

Freed smiled kindly. "You wash your hands, first of all." He pointed to a sink in the corner of the room.

Lucy blushed, scurrying over to the sink. She scrubbed her hands, and turned back to him.

"Now, you need to cut away the cloth around my wound."

Lucy nodded, and a minute of searching through the medical cabinet turned up a small pair of scissors. She approached Freed, and saw the wound. It was on his right leg, and was deep, from what she could see, with something snapped off inside of it. It looked like... an arrowhead? Lucy gulped. She sat in the chair, scooting it closer. She found where the cloth had torn, and snipped away until a rectangle of cloth about the size of her palm had been cut away.

The wound _was_ very deep. The skin had been pierced by an arrowhead, Lucy was sure of it now. Blood had leaked around it, staining the skin deep red.

"Okay, now you need to clean the blood around the wound with a wet cloth."

Lucy wet the cloth with the sink, and she sat down in the chair again. Freed winced when the cloth made contact with the swollen flesh, and Lucy slowly began to wipe away the scarlet liquid. She tried her best not to touch the arrowhead, dabbing around it. Freed's breathing picked up, and he hissed in pain. When the blood was gone, bruised, swollen skin remained, but at least it was cleaner.

"Okay, now that you've done that, you need to remove sterilize the aria with rubbing alcohol."

Lucy picked a fresh cloth from the nightstand, pressing it to the mouth of the medical bottle, and tipping it until she felt something wet make contact with her fingers through the cloth. She set the bottle down, and pressed the cloth against the skin. Freed cried out in pain and surprise, but he took a deep breath.

"Are you okay?" Lucy asked.

"I'm fine, that just stings. Now, the arrow isn't imbedded in the bone, so there is no need to enlarge the wound, which I have had done a few times. Believe me, I know what it feels like, and it hurts quite a lot more than this."

"Where?" Lucy asked, wincing at how painful that sounded.

"My upper arm. I would never wish that pain on my worst enemies. What you have to do in that situation is enlarge the wound so you can slide your fingers in and see the depth of the wound. But since that is not the case, you will not need to do that."

Lucy nodded carefully, and began to wipe away the excess blood. Freed hissed in pain from the sting of the alcohol, but dug his nails into the palm of his hands. Lucy set the cloth down with the other wet one, looking to Freed for what to do next. He took a deep breath.

"Now, we remove the arrowhead. It still has some of the shaft intact, so this will be a tad easier. You will need a pair of forceps and some gauze. Also, get a towel and place in under my leg."

Lucy found a pair of forceps quickly, and found a towel, dark gray, below the sink. She lifted the leg, and slid the towel underneath.

"What's the towel for?" Lucy asked.

"The blood." Freed replied.

"Oh." Lucy said, her voice shaking. She took a few breaths until they were steady, and readied the forceps.

"Wait," Freed said, holding up a hand, "You may need to suture the wound. Can you do that?"

"I can try," Lucy said shakily.

"Alright, now pull out the arrowhead slowly."

Lucy felt numb as she clamped the forceps around the stone edge of the arrow, the broken wooden shaft lodged between the forceps as well. Freed hissed in pain, but bit his lip. With gritted teeth, he told her one thing. "Pull slowly."

Lucy did as she was told, and one of Freed's hand flew to his mouth. She heard a strangled scream, and she tried to be gentler. Tears were beading in the corners of his eyes. She could feel the arrowhead becoming looser as it dislodged itself from the damaged flesh. Soon, with another tug, the arrow was out. She set it on a cloth she'd prepared on the nightstand, which was immediately soaked with the blood coating the arrowhead.

When she looked back at the wound, blood was bubbling up in the slit shaped wound, threatening to spill over. Lucy snatched the clean gauze, immediately pushing it down over the wound, which was stained with blood as soon as she'd applied pressure. She tried to apply more, and Freed put a hand on her arm, his grip shaky.

"Lucy, it's deep. Y-you need to close it. You can use sutures. I will hold the gauze while you get what you need." Freed's voice was laced with pain, and when Lucy allowed him to take the blood soaked gauze from her, his hands were shaking.

The blonde's hands were also coated with a thin layer of blood, and she washed her hands before going to the medical cabinet again. She soon found a small wooden box. Inside was a curved, silver needle, a few bundles of thick blue thread tucked underneath. "I have managed to staunch it, but if I move my leg it will begin to bleed profusely again. Please be careful."

Lucy nodded, her face pale, and Freed moved the gauze away. The area was slathered with blood, and the wound, while not gushing, was still bleeding. Lucy picked up a clean cloth and wet it down in the sink. She wiped the excess blood away as carefully as possible, leaving the wound. It would toss rivulets of the scarlet fluid over the edge ever so often, and Lucy wiped it away.

"You need to pinch it closed with the needle and thread. You need to do an intermittent suture, which is like sewing." Freed said, and Lucy's eyes grew wide.

"You'll start bleeding again!" She cried.

"Yes, I will. But you must do it slowly to avoid excess blood loss. Do it as slowly as you can."

Lucy felt like her heart was lodged in her throat when she reached for the needle with shaky hands. She pulled the thread through the needle's eye, tying it securely so it didn't slip through the punctures. She pressed the needle's sharp tip to the edge of the broken skin, and pushed it gently through until she could see the needle's point. Freed groaned deeply from the pain. Slowly, she pulled until it was through to the other side, holding one side of the slit shaped wound closed. When Lucy looked up at Freed, tears streaked his face.

The middle and the far side of the cut still stood open, and it spit blood as the pressure was applied. Lucy quickly wiped it away with the cloth. The second and third stitch were less nerve-wracking, and Lucy did them slowly. She continued to go until the wound was almost closed, blood leaking from between the threads. One more stitch, and the wound would be closed. Lucy wiped away the blood away and completed the final stitch.

The wound, while bruised and swollen around the cut, was closed. Lucy gave a sigh of relief.

"Well done, Lucy." Freed said, his voice strained. He managed a weak smile. "Now, Get some clean gauze and secure it over the wound with medical tape. But cut away the rest of the leg of my trousers or else I will not be able to get them off."

Lucy took the scissors from earlier, cutting where the top of the square she had cut earlier was until she had a tube of cloth. carefully, she slid it of when Freed lifted his leg with Lucy's help. She found more gauze in the cabinet and a roll of the white tape. She lay the gauze down, and sure to keep it firm, she secured it over the closed cut with two strips of tape.

"You did well, Lucy. Thank you for treating me."

"You've had medical training?" Lucy asked, her face white.

Freed was breathless. "I have had some. Enough to allow me to treat people effectively."

"Thank you for helping me." Lucy said.

"It is nothing."

"Do you need anything else?" Lucy asked.

"Water."

Lucy filled a plastic cup that was on the ledge of the sink, and handed it to him. He drank quickly, setting it on the nightstand. Lucy grabbed a blanket from one of the other beds, laying it over him.

"Let me rest," Freed said, "I will call Porlyusica if I need anything else."

Lucy walked mutely out of the infirmary. She needed a bath. A hot one.


	25. Strange Stone

Being bedridden was not Freed's choice in activity. But here he lay, his leg held closed with stitches and the smell of rubbing alcohol faint in the room. He shifted upwards in bed, careful not to pull at the stitches, or scratch at them for that matter. A tingle had began to spread across the thread, and Freed was trying his hardest not to disturb them under the gauze. One, if he did happen to scratch at the stitches, it would hurt, and two, he could risk re-opening the wound.

Laxus and the other members of the Thunder Legion needed him. But Porlyusica had come into the room not long after Lucy had left and given him strict orders not to move from the bed. She had taken garlic cloves and onion and ground them into a powder, mixing it with water, coating the stitched area with the paste. She had also used a few other herbs with names that Freed had forgotten the names of. She had also taken dried Echinacea and ground it into a powder, mixing it into tea. Freed drank the tea, and the mug he had been given now sat on the nightstand.

Porlyusica had also cleaned the arrowhead, which Freed had decided to keep. It was currently sitting in a bowl of disinfectant. Freed could now clearly see the color of the arrow that wounded him. It was black, the edges jagged. Green thread, possibly grass or some other kind of plant matter was wrapped over it, attaching it to the blunt piece of the shaft that had snapped off. The stone used to make the arrow was shiny, almost florescent, glimmering blueish-black in the dim candlelight. It was strange looking, the arrowhead. Freed had never seen one made of such stone. And he had seen his fair share of arrowheads.

The door swung open, and Evergreen, one of his teammates entered. Her long brown hair hung loose around her shoulders, falling in soft waves. She wore a green dress that reached her mid-thigh, held closed by a purple zipper, strapless. A purple rose adorned the left hand side of the dress, near the hem. Silver glasses rested on her nose. Her wings lay against her back, folded neatly. When they were fully extended, they were a soft pink, glimmering in whatever light they happened to catch.

"Freed," she said, sitting down in the chair Lucy had left behind from treating him, "are you feeling any better?"

"I'm holding up alright, Evergreen." Freed said, "What are you doing in the palace, though? The Thunder Legion needs you."

"They've sent out Mirajane. Titania told me to rest."

Freed's eyes widened. "Mirajane? Things are really that bad?"

"A shadow creature has made an apperance. They're tough to defeat, and Titania sent out Mirajane."

Freed looked at the ceiling, and then back at his teammate. "But Laxus-"

"Laxus is injured." Evergreen said regretfully. "He broke his wrist. Porlyusica treated him about an hour ago."

"Laxus is... But we have to fight! What about Bickslow?" Freed cried.

"Bickslow is also injured, but more gravely that Laxus is."

"How so?"

Evergreen sighed. "He took an arrow in the arm. Just above a major artery. The arrow is imbedded in the bone. Porlyusica is performing a treatment, but he's lost a lot of blood. She had to make an incision to figure out the depth of the wound."

Freed's head jerked up as he heard a muffled scream from the next room, followed by a calm female voice. His eyebrows knitted together in worry for his comrades.

"Is that him now?" Freed asked, his voice thin. Evergreen nodded.

"Will he live?"

Evergreen nodded this time. "Most likely. But he will not go into battle for a while. He could risk tearing his stitches."

"What about you?"

Evergreen gave a short, quiet laugh. "I guess I'm the lucky one. I got sliced pretty badly by an arrow, but that's about it. it didn't go into my arm, it just gave it a good sized cut," She pointed to her arm, which had a white bandage wrapped around it.

"Did you need stitches?" Freed wondered. Evergreen shook her head no.

"Nothing that serious. It wasn't deep enough. I did get some butterfly bandages put on it, though."

Freed sighed deeply. "This is getting worse. Have we lost anyone?"

"A few knights. But more deaths are inevitable."

Evergreen left a few moments later, leaving Freed with his thoughts and the strange arrowhead.

* * *

Lucy's bath went quite well, warm and bubbly. She's taken another fairy tale into the tub to read with her, _"Cinderella,"_ as she soaked, idly humming. When she got out, she found a red silk slip to wear, draping a blanket over her. Her fingers toyed with the key shaped pendant that hung around her neck, face flushing as she thought of Natsu.

He'd almost kissed her. _"Would he come back and finish the job?"_ Lucy wondered.

She drifted to the window seat, peering out the wide glass window and into the treetops. The taller ones threaded into the inky sky like veins, stars freckling the horizon. Owls and bats darted to-and-fro, diving after prey. Lucy rested her forehead against the cool surface of the glass.

There was no more denying it, that feathery soft feeling tangling around her heart, squeezing it hard until she was breathless and burning. Love. Something Lucy had only ever read about in storybooks. Something only the princes and princess experienced when the spell was broken and the story had ended. But Lucy knew her own story was only beginning.

She leaned back, and in the window she saw her reflection. Her hair was down around her shoulders, damp from her bath, her expression dreamy. Lucy felt like a lovesick schoolgirl. She sighed and put her forehead back against the glass, splaying her fingers against it, taking in the cool smoothness of it. Love was complicated, Lucy now knew, but she knew why people fought so hard for it.

If you loved someone, that was that. You couldn't take it back, that formless warmth that spread through your body when your beloved one was near. That was hard to recreate. Only the real thing would suffice. Only the love from that one person would suffice. Lucy listened to the fire crackle in the hearth, her eyes closed. Love was wonderful, but it could feel the intensity of it, that scalding heat that gathered in her chest when she thought of Natsu, the only way to cool it was to be by his side. It gathered, a tight little ball, scalding as aforementioned, but when he was near, it became pleasantly warm and velvety. Lucy unconsciously slid a hand over her heart, a smile gracing her lips.

Lucy heard the door open slowly behind her, and she snapped from her dreamy state to turn to greet whoever had entered the room. It was Natsu. Lucy smiled, and he gave her a toothy grin in return, shutting the door behind him. He strode to the window seat, sinking into the plush cushion beside her. Lucy curled her legs underneath her, scooting ever so slightly closer.

"Luce, it seems I got some unfinished business here." Natsu chuckled.

Lucy raised an eyebrow, smiling playfully. "Oh? What's that?"

Natsu reached for her, pulling her up with him so they were both on their feet, her body flush against his. He rested his forehead against hers and locked his arms around her slim waist, trapping her against him. Without hesitation, he tilted her head up, smiling when their noses brushed, and leaned forward, his warm breath fanning against the girl's lips. Finally, he leaned forward, and gently, he pressed his lips to hers.

Lucy sighed, curling her arms around his shoulders and reciprocating. She laced her fingers through his hair, marveling at the softness. Natsu's mouth was warm, his lips lightly chapped. She could feel him smile into the kiss, and he deepened it slowly, a hand rising to run a thumb along the planes of her cheeks.

Lucy almost forgot where she was. Her heart beat with a quick rhythm, strong and jubilant. The way his lips moved against hers was enchanting, each brush of his lips sending warm tingles throughout her body. The blonde was getting lost in the Warlock, and he was getting lost in her in return.

They separated slowly, their foreheads together. "Oh," Lucy breathed, starry eyed, "That."

Natsu gave a soft little laugh, a smile on his lips. He leaned in, kissing her softly again. When he pulled away, he replied; "That."

"I love you." Lucy blurted, her face pink. Natsu laughed, his eyes playful.

"I love you, too." Natsu buried his head in the crook of the blonde's neck, nuzzling the flesh with his nose. He had to stoop some, as she was shorter than him, and Lucy giggled.

It felt good to be this close to him. The scalding heat had spread throughout her entire body, warming her from the tips of her fingers to the tips of her toes. It was no longer so hot, but more comforting. It made her heart flutter, feathery and wooly, and she hoped that Natsu was feeling the same as her.


	26. Escape

When Freed woke next, it was dark. Someone had closed the blinds over the window, locking the moonlight out. Freed was told not to shift or move his leg, but his back was cramping from laying on it for so long. He blinked sleepily, about to shirt to his left side, the side which wouldn't put weight on his injured leg when he saw something from the corner of his eye. His mind was foggy, still swampy with sleep.

He tried his best to clear the cobwebs from his brain, blinking slowly as his eyes trained on what he'd seen. It was the arrowhead, but it was glowing softly, illuminating the space around it in a sphere of pale light. Freed rubbed his eyes, blinking, but the light remained.

"What...?"

Freed couldn't move much, so he just sat there, staring at the glow.

"How peculiar."

The glow itself seemed to be pulsating; almost like it was alive. Freed didn't move closer, keeping his eyes trained on the object. The light was slowly getting brighter, and Freed squinted, cocking his head to the side. The light was getting even more intense.

Something was coming. Through the arrowhead, Freed assumed. The light began to form, mold into a shape, that of a woman. Free muttered a quick spell, a shell of shadow encased his body. He would be invisible to anyone with an untrained eye. He could see through it, though, the room on full view. As the light dimmed, it was replaced by a woman's form. When Freed peered into the bowl that the arrowhead had soaked in, the stone had lost its glimmer. It just looked ordinary now.

The woman who had emerged from the arrowhead stumbled, her legs wobbling, before she fell onto her knees. Her breath came out in erratic bursts, and she looked around the room, bewildered. She attempted to stand, but moaned in pain. Freed's eyes fell on a good sized gash that had been sliced into her side. It stained the royal blue dress she wore crimson.

The woman was slender with tan skin, form what Freed could see in the dark. Her hair was so black it almost looked green, parted in the middle with two loops of hair on either side of her head. Her eyes were almond shaped and green. A dash of pale color had been spread across her eyelids, her lips painted dark.

Her aforementioned dress was royal blue, contrasting between dark and lighter shades. It was held together with gold clasps. Her hands were sheathed in gloves that matched the dress's fabric.

The woman clutched her side, trying to stand, but she fell again, gasping from the pain.

Freed narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but removed the spell keeping him hidden. The woman did not see him at first, but Freed spoke finally.

"Who are you?"

The woman started and attempted to get to the door, but her injury was enough to make her slump back into place. She looked up at Freed with fear in her eyes. Freed sighed.

"We do not take kindly to intruders. Tell me who you are and why you have sprung from that arrowhead or I will call the guards."

"Where is this place?" The woman managed, looking frantically around.

"Titania's palace." Freed answered. The woman's green eyes grew.

"T-titania?"

"Yes, the very one," Freed cocked his head, "now who are you?"

"M-my name is Minerva," the woman called Minerva said, her fingers curling around her wounded side.

"And may I ask again, what are you doing here? If you do not tell me this instant, I will call the guards."

The woman's voice was shaking, but it had a certain firmness to it. "If you do not want me here, then why not kill me yourself?"

Freed pulled the blanket back, gesturing to his injured leg. "Injuries keep me from attacking, or else you would have met my blade already. Now answer me. Why are you here?"

Minerva gave a short, bitter laugh. "That's sort of a long story."

Freed looked from his injured leg and back at Minerva. "I believe I have time."

Minerva looked to where she clutched her side, the blood now staining her gloves. She winced. "I don't."

* * *

Freed called the queen, and Titania and her husband made haste with arrival. Porlyusica was with them, and she helped Minerva to a bed. She did something similar to what Lucy did, snipping away the fabric and cleaning the wound. She did this with much more precision and experience than the blonde.

Titania took a seat in one of the chairs, her husband behind her. "Now," she said, folding her hands in her lap, "Tell us everything."

Minerva took a heavy breath as Porlyusica's cloth rubbed the swollen flesh around the wound. When the blood had cleared away, the wound was smaller in length than Freed had initially judged, and ever so slightly curved in shape. Porlyusica took a clean needle after prepping the area and began to stitch. Minerva hissed through her teeth.

The woman's head fell back against the pillow. Erza waited patiently.

"What realm are you from, how about? That's sort of an easier question."

"I'm from the Shadow Realm."

"You're a Shadow Elf?"

"Yes."

Porlyusica was nearly half way done, wiping away the rivulets of blood that would seep through. The black thread stood out stark against her skin.

"Why were you in the arrowhead?" Erza asked, her voice soft.

Minerva looked at her, about to answer when Porlyusica glared, silencing her. "Shut your trap, I'm working here. Don't you see it's hard for her to answer anything when I've stuck a needle in her side?"

Titania chuckled warmly. "My apologies. Carry on."

"I will, thank you," Porlyusica said curtly, "and I'll do it much faster without the noise."

True to her word, Porlyusica finished the stitches in a few moments. She rubbed ointment onto the surface, gently, but Minerva hissed in pain. Freed assumed it was the same medicine she'd put on his wound. When she'd finished rubbing the ointment in, she put gauze over the wound. Porlyusica moved to the side, sitting in a chair beside Minerva's bed. Minerva took a deep breath, adjusting, and Porlyusica pushed her down.

"Don't strain the stitches."

Minerva sighed. "I can answer your questions now. I was in the arrowhead because I needed to escape."

Titania gave her a puzzled look, "Elaborate, please."

Minerva nodded. "I worked with Mard Geer. I didn't know much of his plans, I didn't know what he was doing. I wanted power, and I followed him blindly. But then I found out something dark. When I tried to leave, we got into an argument, and he sliced me with his dagger. I caused a diversion. I knew I'd never get away from him. I took to the shadows and pushed over a cabinet to distract him and anyone else in the room. Then I ran, and when I emerged from the shadows, I was in the entrance hall. I could hear him yelling. In order to escape, I used my shadow magic to bind myself to an arrowhead in one of the departing soldier's quivers. The soldiers that were going to attack the palace."

Titania was silent for a good few moments before she spoke again, her voice low, "You know his plans?"

"Bits and pieces."

"Well," Titania gestured outward, "tell us."

Minerva's eyes dropped. "I don't know the plan in its entirety. But I know he wants to take a creature from each realm and use their life force for something."

The queen's expression was grave. "You know nothing else?"

"I do know which creatures he already has," Minerva's expression was grim, "He has an elf from each realm, though I think the Shadow Elf he had captured before somehow broke free. The fairy he'd taken also got away. He's probably captured new ones if he hasn't recaptured the escapees."

"No," Titania said, "That was our doing. I sent one of our knights into the fortress to rescue some of the prisoners. They are safe here."

"That's good," Minerva sighed. "But he will not stop until he gets them all."

"Which ones are left that he still needs?"

"Only one, save for the Shadow Elf and Fairy," Minerva didn't meet Erza's gaze, "a human."


	27. Battlefield

Mirajane did not understand this in the slightest. She'd armored herself up, and taken down a shadow creature, but two more had emerged. She kept slicing and sending blasts of searing energy into her opponent's chests, blasting them repeatedly until they became fallen men who were promptly tied up. Prisoners. Others did not change form, they simply disappeared.

Mira gathered energy into her hand, slamming it point blank into a mass of shadows, which dissipated, leaving nothing this time. She launched herself up, spreading her wings, which were deep violet and spindly like a bat's. The air around her crackled with power.

Mira did not understand where the hell they were coming from. Men jumped from the trees, and she let loose a beam of energy.

Yukino Aguria, a member of Team Sabertooth notched a arrow into her silvery bow, muttering a spell. When the arrow was shot, it lit on fire, finding it's mark in one of the enemy men's chests. He fell over, and she notched another without a second thought. Mira smiled pridefully. Yukino was the best shot in Titania's court. She hit her target dead on, her arrow piercing her enemy's armor.

Rufus Lore was engaged in sword combat with one of the men. He managed to find a chink in his opponent's armor, running him through. He kneed him back, and his opponent fell fell. Rufus was the best swordsman in Titania's court, save for Titania herself.

Sting Eucliffe, the team's leader was engaged in hand to hand combat. He slammed his fist into his opponent's face, knocking him out. He engaged with another, delivering a right hook. He was best with melee, save for Oberon.

The Trimens were delivering longe range attacks in the form of high powered magic blasts. Hibiki Lates shouted orders to his teammates, and they followed. Ichiya was supposed to be the leader. But all he did was sit around, drink wine, and tell tall tales. He was talking to Eve Tearm, who shouted his message to Hibiki, who nodded in assent. He banged the staff in his hand against the ground, which made an audible crack. It sent a ball of crackling energy into one of the opposing men. The knock back sent any man behind him flying. Ichiya, unsurprisingly, was holding a goblet of wine. It was nearing empty, and with a wave of his hand it was refilled. He drank fitfully, letting out a bellowing laugh that was drowned by another roaring blast of energy from Hibiki's staff.

Mira turned around just in time to catch an arrow between her fingers, sending it hurtling back at its archer. It pierced his armor, and he slumped back against a tree.

"Mirajane!"

Mira looked down, and Rufus had approached. His sword was bloodied, and a makeshift bandage torn from his sleeve was wrapped around his upper arm. It was stained dark. A thin rivulet of blood was coming from a cut above his eyebrow, staining the mask he wore slightly pink.

"They just keep coming."

"Rufus, are you injured?" Mira descended to the ground, approaching her comrade. Rufus held up a hand.

"I will be fine. It is a scratch. But where do these men keep coming from? I do not know how much longer I can fight."

Their conversation was cut short when they heard a bellow of rage. Mira's brother, Elfman was charging a soldier, his wings were extended, dark green and raising like spines.

Their sister Lisanna raced to-and-fro, driving her dagger into the soldiers, attacking from behind. Her dagger made a home in the nape of each man's neck before being pulled free and being driven into another. Her wings were spread, spikey and black. All Mira saw of her was a rush of white and shimmering black.

"We will send out more forces if necessary," Mira said shortly, "put your trust in Titania."

"I am not saying I do not trust our queen," Rufus's face was dusted pink with embarrassed anger, "I am saying that we have been fighting for a long while, and the injured and dead are growing in numbers."

An arrow whizzed over Mira's shoulder, and she rose into the air, a ball of energy crackling in her palm. She spotted Yukino, who wore a sheepish smile.

"Apologies, Mirajane!" the archer shouted, her face pink, "I was aiming over your shoulder."

Mira sighed. "Be careful!"

Yukino turned suddenly, launching another arrow into a man's chest. Mira returned to the ground.

"If there was a way to stop the fighting, I would," Mira said, putting a hand on Rufus's shoulder. Rufus gave a forlorn sigh.

"But," she continued, "We have many capable soldiers. My siblings have taken out a vast number on their own, and the Trimens have eliminated a fair few as well. This battle will be over soon if you don't give up."

Rufus opened his mouth to protest, but Mira pointed over his shoulder to Yukino.

"Yukino has hit many with her arrows, and we have Mavis Vermillion if we need her."

Rufus kicked at a patch of grass with his boot, lifting his arm with deft precision to block a flying arrow with his sword. It bounced off the blade harmlessly. "I suppose you are right. But I grow weary."

"Then rest," Mira smiled, "Titania will allow it. She let the Thunder Legion do so."

"No," Rufus held determination in his eyes, "I will fight until I can no longer stand."

"And who will carry you inside when the battle is done?" Mira said playfully, "Not Sting. He will be occupied with whatever Yukino is afflicted with."

Rufus laughed despite himself. "That is true. Perhaps I will save some energy to go inside."

Mira's expression grew serious. "Now go. Keep fighting. I have kept my back turned for too long, and my siblings need me."

Mira ascended into the air again, launching another ball of energy into her foes.

But she couldn't help but think about what Rufus had said.

Mirajane launched herself into the air with a mighty leap, her wings carrying her above the battle.

Yukino was engaged with a group of archers, and she took them out with arrows Mira hadn't even seen her notch. Rufus ran man after man through, and Sting released a blast of white energy from his hands.

Mira peered into the tree line. If she could find where these men were coming from, maybe she could end the battle.

She watched carefully, her eyes narrowed. Man after man emerged from the tree line, each one met with a volley of attacks. An arrow came flying at Mira herself, but it fell short below her feet. The other than launched would have pierced her forehead, but Mira was able to catch it and snap it before it could make contact.

The starry sky glittered above her, and the moon provided enough visibility. But where were they coming from? Where?

Suddenly, something caught her eye. A black, shapeless mass lodged in a clearing. Mira watched it for a moment, and a soldier crept into view from its depths. _There._

There, men emerged slowly but surely, their weapons drawn. But how to destroy the portals? Mira gathered her energy, keeping her guard up.

She couldn't do this alone. Mira sighed, looking over her shoulder to the palace. She needed to tell Titania they needed The Fairy Tactician.

Mavis Vermillion.

* * *


	28. Battle Strategy

Mavis liked books.

Books were her friends.

Her time in the palace was usually occupied by them. She loved the smell, the stories that can cause such emotions, and the feel of the pages against her fingertips. Mavis would certainly call herself a dreamer. She liked to think about the unknown. Laying on her bed with her legs in the air, seeing just how far she could stretch her hips.

Books made her cry, laugh, and they taught her things. Mavis was always hungry for knowledge. This thirst for knowledge was probably why she'd become one of the most intelligent inhabitants of Titania's palace. Encyclopedias, dictionaries, novels, textbooks, Mavis loved them all. And you could find her most days tucked away in the queen's library in her favorite corner, her nose buried in a book.

And true to that, Mavis sat in a cushy armchair in a far corner of the sprawling library, a book in her small hands and several heavy volumes stacked around the chair. Mavis turned the pages with a serene smile on her face. When Titania spoke of her most trusted advisor, her listeners were usually shocked to learn that the great Fairy Tactician was only thirteen years old.

Thirteen she may be, she had the mind of a genius. Mavis was always intelligent, even as a young child, but her thirst for knowledge and the library she was introduced to when she came to the palace only increased this.

Mavis's gaze tore from the pages when she heard heavy footsteps, and a woman appeared around the corner, her face pink from running the length of the library. It was Mirajane, one of the Strauss siblings.

"Hello, Mira," Mavis said kindly.

Mirajane's face was dirty, and she had a gash above her eyebrow. It looked fresh, judging how it hadn't congealed over yet. Her usually silver hair was messy around her face, the tie that held her bangs on top of her head coming loose. Her armor was fine, it seemed, still tied secure on her body. She'd been using her satan soul form, and Mavis knew full well of the battle outside. She'd heard chatters from soldiers on her way to the library that morning.

Mira took a moment to smile at the girl. "Mavis, we need your help."

Mavis smiled, setting a bookmark between the pages of the book in her hand. She rose, her pastel yellow hair falling to her ankles.

"Then I'll do my best," she said.

* * *

The throne room was in chaos, and Mavis stumbled a bit in surprise when she followed Mirajane inside. Wounded men lay on makeshift cots, Porlyusica treating would after wound. Someone had conjured a water basin that magically refilled so she could wash her hands between patients. It was probably the Water Nymph Juvia's doing. Mavis heard of her a while ago, and that she was now residing in the palace, but she didn't know much else.

Titania sat on her throne, her eyes closed as if she was asleep. Her eyebrows were furrowed, a sword laying on her lap. Her grip on the hilt was turning her knuckles white. Oberon was pacing back and forth, shouting orders to soldiers who came in from battle. Mavis didn't know where the dead were, and to be completely honest, she'd rather go on not knowing.

"Titania!" Mira called, and the queen's eyes opened. Her gaze fell on Mavis, and she sighed in relief.

"Good. You brought her. Mira, you can go rest now."

Mirajane's shoulders relaxed, and she left the throne room, heading in the direction of the Infirmary.

"Jellal," Titania started, and her husband froze, turning to her.

"Yes, love?" The king said, and Mavis noted that his voice was impossibly weary.

"Relay what has happened thus far to Mavis."

Jellal sighed, sitting down on his throne. Mavis sat on the steps in front of the thrones, her legs folded under her. She smiled softly.

"We've been attacked, and I believe you already know that. The battle outside isn't exactly quiet. Mard Geer's forces are stronger than we thought. It seems like they don't end."

Mavis chewed her lip in thought. "Do you know where they're coming from, Oberon?"

Jellal nodded, but his face was unsure. "Mirajane told us she saw a portal of some sort in the forest, but I do not know where it is, to be exact. She only said it was located in a clearing. But she says it is where the enemy soldiers are emerging. There may be multiple."

Mavis was quiet for a long time before speaking.

"The answer is obvious. We need to find a way to plug up their entrance. After we do that, we can deploy our strongest teams and take out the remaining soldiers. What did Mirajane say the portals were made of?"

"Dark matter, or shadows."

"There's only one logical explanation for what they are, then."

Jellal looked at her quizzically; "What?"

"Shadow Creatures. I read it in a book that while they are living creatures, they can use their bodies to teleport or transport objects. Or, if they're powerful enough, living creatures. I believe it's how the various creatures from other realms you mentioned were taken to Mard Geer's fortress. I think they use this function to eat, though, so I have no idea why they're using it to transport Mard Geer's men."

"So we need to kill them?" Titania asked, her face serious. Mavis nodded.

"To stop the flow of soldiers emerging, yes, that would be the best course of action." Mavis's expression turned serious, "send in soldiers who are best with melee and high energy attacks, such as Gildarts and Kagura. Both are very strong and would have no problem taking the creatures down."

Jellal shouted orders, and a few foot soldiers raced out of the room to find the two aforementioned people. They emerged a few minutes later, Kagura looking serious as ever, Gildarts with a playful smile on his face. Mavis saw why when she saw Cana, his daughter, beside him, who seemed to be scolding him. The trio reached the door, and Gildarts leaned down, planting a kiss on his daughter's head, and Cana looked at him sadly. Mavis could tell she was worried.

He wouldn't die, though. Not in Mavis's plan. A Shadow Creature would be nothing compared to Gildarts' immense power. Jellal said something to Gildarts and Kagura before pointing to the doors, and they left, heading to battle.

Cana stuck her nose in the air, her arms crossed defiantly, but Mavis could tell that she wanted Gildarts to come back alive and uninjured. Despite how she acted, she cared about her father.

Mavis followed Jellal to a balcony that overlooked the clearing that the palace resided in. mavis gazed down at the battle.

The Trimens seemed to be fairing well, and Team Saber Tooth was dominating. But several men lay injured or dead on the battlefield, blood staining the grass crimson. Mavis averted her eyes, watching as a man approached Gildarts with a sword, but with a touch of his open palm, the man's blade disintegrated. The man screamed something incoherent and ran away. Kagura took man after man down with one strike of her sheathed sword. They disappeared into the treeline.

Jellal led Mavis to a higher balcony, and from there they could see the clearing which Mirajane spoke of. True to Jellal's suspicions, two portals were open. Kagura found one of them, Gildarts the other. Needless to say, Gildart's battle was explosive, and the shadow creature was obliterated. Kagura's sword strikes came fast and furious, her gravity change magic pressing the creature to the ground. Men who had emerged from the portal scattered, running in all directions.

Soon, that creature was also sliced to ribbons. The two warriors retreated from the clearings, on track back to the palace.

The enemy soldiers noticed the lack of reinforcements very quickly. They were subjugated and captured until there was nothing left to do but tend to the dead and wounded. The clearing was quiet, wind whistling forlornly. The battle was over.

Mavis smiled.

_"And the point goes to me."_


	29. The Only Human

Lucy was just getting into the bath when Titania entered the room. She didn't hear her over the running water and had just settled into the bubbles when Titania opened the bathroom door. Lucy screamed.

"Calm down, why are you screaming?" Titania asked, cocking her head quizzically.

Lucy pulled her knees to her chest in order to attempt and hide her ample bust, "You barged in while I was bathing!"

Erza blinked. "I fail to see the point. We are both women, there is no reason for embarrassment."

Lucy gave Titania a what-planet-are-you-from sort of look before shrinking farther back into the bubbles. "Yeah, what do you want? You're already here, so say your piece."

Titania was always one for the direct approach. She might as well tell her. "The battle is over. And Freed is recovering well. But a few hours ago, we had... something unexpected happen. An injured Shadow Elf who was previously working for Mard Geer had bound herself to the arrow you removed, and she appeared to him. She told us parts of his plan. What she said was that Mard Geer is gathering up creatures from each realm, and he is planning to use their life force for something unknown to us. But the last creature he needs is a human."

Lucy's eyes grew wide. "What?!"

Erza nodded. "We have guards stationed outside your room, as well as every other creature here from other realms of the forest."

Lucy took several quick breaths. "Can I speak to this woman myself?"

"Of course."

Lucy waited, looking at Titania. "C-can you leave? I need to get dressed."

Titania mumbled something about them both being women again before exiting the bathroom.

* * *

Lucy threw on a silk shawl and a simple pink dress before meeting Titania outside the bedroom, her hair still damp. She'd tied it up into a bun for good measure to gain some semblance of tidiness. She didn't have time to put on shoes, so the tiles of the floor were cold against her bare feet. Titania was dressed in a regal violet gown, her hair in a plait down her back. Silver twine was woven into the scarlet tresses, her circlet perched on top of her head, woven into her hair as well. With the hair pulled away from her face, Lucy saw that her ears were pointed. A shimmering silver shawl hung loosely around her shoulders, sweeping against the ground. The carved silver belt that Lucy had seen Titania wearing when they'd first met was around her waist, glimmering in the light.

"You're beautiful..." Lucy said, her face flushing, "sorry, that just slipped."

Titania's face turned pink, and she looked away with a smile. "Thank you. It's quite alright, I appreciate it."

Erza put a hand on Lucy's shoulder, leading her down the corridor. Her eyes were serious again.

"The woman says her name is Minerva. Did you meet her in the forest before you arrived here?"

Lucy shook her head, "No, I don't think so. Sorry."

Erza shook her head, sighing. "No need to apologize."

The pair passed through the great hall, where Oberon was deep in conversation with Laxus, who's arm was resting in a sling. Their expressions were grim, and Lucy caught a snippet of their conversation.

"The spirits in the forest are getting restless," Laxus was saying, "I was doing a perimeter check when a phantom jumped me. Oberon, it's getting dangerous."

His voice dropped low, "Gray, that Ice Elf? He told me he thought he saw a Wendigo. And that Fire Warlock said he actually encountered one. It tried to attack that human."

Oberon's expression was unreadable. "The creatures of the forest are growing restless. Do you have anything to say about the spirits?"

Laxus shrugged. "Not much. They're active alright, but only slightly more than usual. We need to be careful. Something is coming. Something big."

Lucy shivered as they walked out of earshot. When she looked at Titania, her expression was dark. She gave a very soft sigh. "Keep waking."

* * *

When they reached the infirmary, Erza spotted Minerva immediately. Her hair was undone, hanging loose around her shoulders, the makeup she'd been wearing before was gone. Her tan skin had taken a clammy pallor, making her look sickly. Her torso was bandaged, a dull bloodstain decorating the area of her wound. She looked exhausted, like she'd been drifting in and out of consciousness.

Erza sat down in a chair near the bed, directing Lucy to do the same. "You look awful," Titania said, and Minerva smiled slightly.

"Attaching myself to that arrow took a lot out of me, your majesty," Minerva said. Even her voice was soft and tired, and rough around the edges. She sounded just as bad as she looked.

"I understand that. But you seem to be doing better. No more bleeding, I pray?"

Minerva shook her head. "No, none of that. Your medic took care of me quite well."

Erza smiled. "Porlyusica is good in that way."

Minerva's gaze fell on Lucy. "Who might this be?"

Erza put a hand on Lucy's shoulder. "This is Lucy. She found her way into the forest, and she's human. I need you to tell her what you told me. She's caught in this as much as us all."

Minerva's eyes drooped. She took a shaky breath, glancing at Lucy sidelong. "I used to work for Mard Geer. When I found out what he wanted, I got out of there as fast as I could. But the problem is..."

Lucy felt the bitter taste of fear coat her tongue. "What?"

"I'm so sorry, Lucy. I really am."

That didn't help so much with the fear thing. Lucy gulped, her voice coming out in almost a whisper. "What is it?"

Minerva looked impossibly, impossibly tired. "You are the only human in this forest, Lucy. And I have a feeling that attack Mard Geer orchestrated on the palace had something to do with you."


	30. Panic

Lucy's heartbeat was fast and erratic, and she swallowed the taste of bile burning in her throat.

Lucy suddenly remembered the nightmare, the one with the shadow with the bramble like tendrils that grabbed at her. The cold voice that prickled at her mind like ice, ' _I've got you,_ ' the voice had said.

And suddenly, it made sense. Lucy's voice was tight and scratchy, and an incoherent squeak came out instead of words.

Titania's face was grim and unreadable.

_"I have a feeling that attack Lord Blood orchestrated on the palace had something to do with you."_

This was her fault. She'd endangered everyone. Lucy felt sick. Her stomach was churning, and she slumped forward in her chair.

"I have to go," she said, her voice flat.

When she was in the hall, she was running. She barely had time to register Titania's shout of her name as she sprinted towards her room, a sense of dread enveloping her consciousness.

She slammed the door behind her as she made it back into the room, sinking down against the wall by the door.

Terror struck her hard. Lucy felt like the room around her was closing in, tightening, squeezing the breath from her. She couldn't breathe. Hopelessness felt tight in Lucy's chest and an unswallowable lump kept forming in her throat. Should she throw up or scream? Her body felt like doing both. Cold. She felt cold. Her body was numb.

 _This is all your fault,_ she told herself,  _It's your fault Freed got hurt. Your fault those knights died. Your fault._

She was dizzy, vision swimming. Then she was crying. The tears were hot and large, covering her face as her breath came out in breathless gasps. Her shaking form was barely able to register the door opening and Titania entering to rush to her side, her concerned voice no more than a murmur. Lucy felt like screaming. The blood pounded in her ears. Her heart thudded in her chest. Her hands shook. Her feet tingled. Her vision disfigured as if she were looking through a fish-eye lens. Breathing was so hard. It felt painful to drag the air from her lungs. It  _burned._

She cried harder, her chest growing tight as bile rose in her throat. Everything felt like it was being viewed through a dirty window, and Lucy couldn't tell if it was the tears or not.

Voices were yelling in the background. Someone was attempting to ask her something. Lucy couldn't tell what it was over the sound of the blood pounding in her ears.

The only things that flashed through her mind were what Minerva had said.

_"I have a feeling that attack Lord Blood orchestrated on the palace had something to do with you."_

"This is all my fault," she choked, her voice hiccuping with sobs, "It's my fault you got attacked."

Her voice was tight and garbled, and Titania shouted something to the hall. The blood rushing in her ears made hearing hard, her own sobs the only other thing audible.

Titania put her hands on her shoulders. "Lucy, tell me, what do you need?"

"I need- I need-" Lucy didn't know what she needed. She dissolved into sobs again as the dread descended on her again.

Someone else had entered, and they were beside her before she could register who, warm hands pulling her close, running through her hair and pulling her head to their chest.

She could hear a heartbeat. It was soothing somehow.

"Oh, Lucy," came the person's voice. The rough tenor of the voice registered as Natsu, and Lucy began to cry harder, clinging to the warlock.

"My fault," she coughed, "my fault."

"What does she think is her fault?" Natsu asked, and Titania pursed her lips.

"The battle. Minerva said that she's the only human in the forest, and the attack may have had something to do with that."

Lucy began to cry harder, the shaking returning. She muttered the phrase again, and Natsu pulled the girl onto his lap, causing her to relax slightly.

"Luce, you didn't mean to come here," Natsu whispered, "You wandered here on accident. You got caught up in all of this, and it isn't your fault. Concentrate on breathing. Come on, Luce, you can do it."

Lucy tried her hardest to take shaky but deeper breaths, sobs mixed in.

"I swear to you, Lucy, I'll keep you safe."

Natsu would keep her safe. Lucy could feel ease to her breathing come back.

"Don't leave me," she murmured, her hand grasping for his. He intertwined their fingers, stroking the top of her smaller hand with his thumb.

Natsu nuzzled the top of her head with his nose. "I won't, Luce."

Titania sighed, standing up, "I see you have it under control. Please do protect her, Natsu. Don't let her blame herself."

Natsu's expression was determined, "I will, Titania. I won't let anyone hurt her."

The queen's eyes softened. "Thank you. I need to go to a debriefing now. If you need anything else, call Virgo. I stationed her outside the room."

When she'd left, Natsu lifted the still trembling girl up into his arms with ease, plopping the two of them down on the couch. The fire that never seemed to go out was still burning brightly in the hearth, bathing the room in buttery yellow hues.

"Natsu?" Lucy muttered, and the warlock looked down at her.

"Yeah?"

"You won't leave me?"

"Never. I'll protect you with my life, Lucy. You won't get hurt."

The sniffles were still present, tears still falling, but Lucy smiled, burrowing close to him. Natsu took a blanket from the back of the couch, draping it over the two of them.

"So warm," Lucy whispered, "I'm so tired."

Natsu chuckled, "panic attacks take a lot out of you."

"That's what that was? How do you know?"

Natsu's voice was quieter when he spoke. "My brother used to have them."

"Oh. I see. Are you trying to get back to your brother, too?"

"He's dead," Natsu said bluntly, and the sorrow in his voice pierced Lucy's heart.

"I'm so sorry, Natsu."

"Thank you," he said softly, tilting her face up so he could look in her eyes. "I want to protect ya' so I don't lose anyone else I care about."

He kissed her then, gentle and passionate, pulling away soon after to look at her. "Despite everything that's happened, Luce, I'm glad ya' came into this damn forest."

Lucy furrowed her brows. "What? Why?"

His smile was crooked, showing his fangs. "If you hadn't stumbled in, I'd still be hangin' from that tree. And I wouldn't have met you."

"I'm nothing but trouble here. Wendigos and ghosts, battles and fae, this is more than anything I've ever dreamed could be real. And now there's this mystical war." Lucy said, looking into the crackling hearth.

Natsu followed her gaze. "That's why we'll stop Mard Geer."

Lucy's head snapped to look at him. "What?!"

"We're gonna stop him, Luce. For the good of the people here. This forest is teeming with creatures. We've got Wendy, Gajeel and his wife, Gray, and Juvia. It's incredible. We just have to help them. This is their home. Nothing but death is comin' for 'em if we just leave 'em be."

Despite her fear, Lucy agreed. "You're right. We need to help them. They're our friends now."

Natsu gave her a toothy grin. "I knew you'd wanna help."

Lucy matched his smile. "But for now, let's just sit here. It's warm and I'm sleepy."

"Sleep then," the warlock said gently, and Lucy settled against him.

She knew a new adventure was coming. But for now, with the warmth of Natsu's tender words on her mind blocking out the cold fear of her loneliness, she was able to rest.

She barely registered his soft 'I love you' before drifting off.


End file.
